Principle of Nature
by Lost to the Hoping
Summary: Between issues with her on-again off-again boyfriend, and supporting her best friend through the most trying time of her adult life, Ino must adjust to a new temporary posting in Suna. Not so easy when she's crushing on the most socially constipated male in the universe. Sequel to I Spy. Coverart belongs to Tseimar on dA!
1. Setting the Scene

**Principle of Nature  
Chapter 1  
Setting the Scene**

xXx

_Dear Gaara,  
First of all, why do letters start with 'dear'? That sounds like the sorta thing you'd say to a lover or something! Oh! I know, I'll start over. Here. (All scratched out)_

Hey Gaara,  
How's it going? See? That's much better, right? Doesn't make me seem gay. I'm not gay. I'm dating the sexiest kunoichi ever born. Though I will admit that Sakura-chan comes a close second. Er... Don't tell Itachi I said that. I might become a very DEAD Hokage. Don't give me that look. It's true.

Anyway, I wanted your advice. You've been a Kage a bit longer, so perhaps you could give me a different view on this situation. One of my kunoichi (damn that sounds dirty), and one of my other shinobi (a male) are dating. Have been dating, off and on for a couple of years now. My kunoichi claims to love her partner, and vice versa. However, as the days pass, and I am able to see more and more of their interactions, I can't help but wonder if it's entirely a Good Idea for them to continue dating.

Or at least, without taking a break. I know, I know, technically, it's not my business. But... it's affecting her judgement, in a long-term manner. I don't know what I should do. Should I attempt to separate them? Or perhaps try to fix the problem? I don't like seeing my shinobi in pain, but I also don't want them DEAD because they were distracted during a mission.

Can you give me some advice?

-Naruto

Gaara set down the letter and sighed. While he was fortunate to have not run into a similar problem - yet - with his own nin... he was somewhat familiar with it. Before he'd become the Kazekage, he had seen others dismissed from service entirely, or separated from their beloved for such a thing.

He wasn't certain what he should tell his friend, though. Perhaps Naruto should talk to those involved? Killing was obviously out of the question, but Gaara was tempted to suggest it just to see Naruto's reaction.

With this thought in mind, Gaara got up for some more ink and a fresh sheet of paper.

xXx

Naruto looked up from his paperwork when there was a knock on the door. "Enter," he called, brows furrowing.

Ino, Shikamaru, Choji and Asuma filed into his office, the kunoichi and Choji liberally spattered with dried mud. The blonde looked irritated, while Shikamaru tried to keep his peaceful friend between them. Naruto's brows lifted. "Hey. Mission over, I take it?"

"I _hate_ Ame," Ino seethed, scowling. "I _hate_ it, _I hate it!_"

Naruto gave her a sheepish grin. "You can take a shower soon. Your report?" he asked, switching his focus to Asuma.

Asuma ducked into a brief bow. "Yes, Hokage-sama," he said, stepping forward and placing a plastic-wrapped scroll onto the corner of Naruto's desk. "Here. As you said, the mission was essentially a piece of cake. On the way back, though, we ran into a nukenin. He was unfamiliar, but he had a Mizu headband. He sent a water jutsu at us and vanished before we could pursue."

Naruto's eyes widened. "He didn't engage you?"

"No, Hokage-sama. He seemed more interested in getting away," Asuma replied.

Shikamaru stirred from his wary contemplation of his blonde teammate. "He was using a henge to disguise his appearance," he noted.

Naruto hummed thoughtfully. "You said he attacked you?"

Asuma shifted, shrugging. "It was... a wave of water, actually. Pretty gentle in comparison to some water jutsu I've seen."

"It was a distraction," Shikamaru inserted.

"Would you like to give the report?" Asuma groused.

"No, too troublesome," the Nara replied.

His captain rolled his eyes and returned his attention to the Hokage. Naruto sat back in his seat, feeling like he should be smoking a pipe. These old robes always made him feel weird. "Mmm. Alright. Anything else of note?"

"No, Hokage-sama."

"Very well, dismissed," Naruto said. "Ino-chan, would you please return in an hour? I wanted to speak with you."

Ino nodded, grateful he was letting her have a shower first. "Okay."

He waited until they'd left, shutting the door behind them, before flaring his chakra briefly. Yamato stepped out of the wall. "Hokage-sama?"

"Get me Itachi. He is to meet me here in an hour and a half," Naruto ordered, reaching for the plastic-wrapped scroll his ninja team had left behind.

"Yes, Hokage-sama," Yamato said, and melded once more with the woodwork.

Naruto sighed and got back to work.

xXx

"That's IT! I'm throwing his shit in the GARBAGE!" Sakura shrieked, and went to pick up Itachi's dresser.

Ino flailed briefly, before tackling her friend to the floor. "Sakura-chan! What's going onnnn?" she demanded, freaking out.

"That- that _bastard_! It's all his fault! All of it! And- and he's going to DIE! I'll _kill_ him!" Sakura roared, trying to shove her friend off of her.

Ino had just come over before her meeting with Naruto, to say hi and tell Sakura she was back... to find her friend pitching a fit. Apparently, the night before, she and Itachi had had a huge fight - though Ino had no idea over what, and Sakura wouldn't say - and now Sakura had kicked him out of the house and refused to let him back in, upon pain of death and possibly castration.

Now Ino was trying to keep her friend from demolishing the furniture in her fury. "Why are you so pissed!" she yelled.

"IT'S HIS FAULT GODDAMMIT!" was the only response she got.

Ino groaned. "This is what I get for going on missions. I always miss the juicy stuff. That's it, I should quit being a ninja and just work in the hospital," she said sarcastically.

Sakura whipped around so fast it was amazing she didn't get whip-lash. "Don't you _dare_," she growled. "You be a ninja! I _can't_!"

The blonde sat up abruptly. "WHAT! Why not!?" she screeched unnecessarily.

The rosette kunoichi suddenly clammed up, pressing her lips together and giving her best friend a wide-eyed look. Ino's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Spill."

Sakura grimaced, glanced around to make sure no one what around, and whispered in Ino's ear.

"WHAT! OH MY GOD!"

xXx

Twenty minutes later, Sakura was significantly calmer, as the two sat on the kitchen floor talking about her problem. "And of course Naruto found out - I bet you anything Itachi _told_ him - and now I'm banned from missions until it's all over."

Ino shook her head. "You poor thing. I mean, I understand _why_ he banned you, but damn! It must be frustrating!"

The rosette kunoichi grimaced and nodded miserably. "And I was so pissed off that I broke up with Itachi last night and kicked him out of the house. I told him if he ever came back, I'd never forgive him, and I'd castrate him on top of it."

The blonde nodded sympathetically. "So you guys are done? I mean, are you over?"

Sakura sighed and leaned back against the leg of the table, dropping her chin onto her chest. "No, yes, I don't know... I guess it depends on how mad he is at me."

"Girl, that man can_not_ stay mad at you," Ino pointed out bluntly. "We've _tested_ it."

"Yeah, but... but this is different!" Sakura insisted, waving an arm in a vague gesture.

Blonde brows snapped together. "How?" Ino asked flatly.

"This is- it's- it just is, Ino, don't argue with me!" Sakura yelled. She took in Ino's now raised brows, and groaned, dropping her head into her hands. "Oh gods, I am so fucked."

"Literally." Ino smirked at her friend's glower. "Face it, Forehead. You're going to have to apologize."

"Fuck you."

"Itachi's job, clearly."

"I. Loathe. You."

xXx

"Hey, wait up! Ino, wait up!" a voice yelled behind her.

The blonde sighed and finally stopped, turning to cross her arms and glare at Kiba. "I'm busy. I have to go see the Hokage. We have a meeting," she told him bluntly. "And whatever it is you have to say, I don't want to hear it."

Kiba blinked. "You have a meeting with the Hokage? Right now?" he asked, surprised.

"Well, in ten minutes, yeah," she said, brows lifting. She eyed him suspiciously. "Why?"

"So do I," Kiba replied, and grinned. "This is great! We can talk on the way!"

She bit back a groan, shoulders slumping. Oh, this probably meant a mission. _Fuck. I can't be on a mission with Kiba! That would be so awkward! Also, I__** just**__ got home from one!_

"Look, Ino, I... wanted to apologize. I was an idiot. I didn't mean to... you know, ignore your feelings, and I love you, and I don't want this to come between us," he said, all in a rush.

Ino stopped and scowled at him. "You say stuff like that _every_ time, Kiba. It won't work this time!" she vowed, though she was pretty sure she'd said that several times before. Gods, Kiba was like a bad habit!

Still, she was determined to make it true this time, and stalked toward the Hokage tower, Kiba following and pleading for her to forgive him. She made a face as she stalked through the doors. The face - a scowl - stayed as they climbed the stairs. And then finally, when they came to a stop on the top floor, she looked more irritated than anything.

Kiba reached out and grabbed her arm, stopping her before she stepped out of the stairwell. "Ino, wait, _please_," he begged.

She glared at him. He hesitated, then kissed her. Almost immediately, she melted against him, giving in just like he'd known she would. How could she stay mad at him? She loved him! Even if they fought sometimes. That's what couples did. They fought over stupid crap, yelled at each other, then walked away, then made up, and were happy again. Look at Sakura and Itachi! They would make up soon, and there was nothing that said Ino and Kiba couldn't too.

She heaved a sigh and nudged him away. "We're going to be late," she grumbled.

"Then you forgive me?" he asked hopefully.

"Yeah, yeah, shut up," she said, ignoring his happy cheer and stepping out of the stairwell.

She knocked on the Hokage's outer office door, and it opened to reveal his assistant. She offered Izumo a smile. "I - er, we - have a meeting with the Hokage."

"He just finished lunch," Izumo deadpanned. He cleared his throat. "You're a little early, I'll go tell him you're here."

Ino beamed at him and stepped into the outer office with Kiba, while Izumo went over to the inner office door and knocked. He was bid to enter, and closed the door behind him. After a moment, there was the sound of Izumo panicking, and a brief clatter, before he suddenly exited the Hokage's office, holding a trash bag like it was going to bite him.

"Go in," he grunted, and fled.

Kiba snickered. "Freak."

Ino pinched him. "Knock it off! Izumo-kun is a nice man! You should be kinder to him!"

The dog-nin nodded quickly, eyes wide, and followed her into the Hokage's office. … which was empty. Blinking, Ino glanced around, searching for her missing Hokage. "Um... Naruto-sama...?"

"Put the sock on the door," came a squeaky voice from beneath the desk.

Kiba blinked. "Eh?"

"Do it."

"Um..." He gave Ino a wide-eyed look, and she just shrugged. Finally, he grabbed a sock off the Hokage's desk and walked around the door, hanging it on a nail there.

"Shut it."

Ino sighed as Kiba shut the door. "Are you going to explain this?" she asked, propping her hands on her hips, even as Naruto peeked over the top of the desk.

"Turf war," he said gruffly, and resumed his seat. He coughed. "Ah, Ino, Kiba. I'm glad you could make it! I needed to talk to you about a few things that have... er, come to my attention. Please, sit," he gestured toward the two chairs in front of his desk.

Ino blinked, then eyed him warily. "Um-"

"Sit." His brows lifted, and he relaxed when they both slowly obeyed. "Good. Right." He cleared his throat. "So. Actually, the Kazekage and I have been discussing a trade between Suna and Konoha." He stopped when there was a knock on the door. "... who is it?"

"Kotetsu. Why is there a dirty- oh, nevermind. Can I come in now?"

"Oh, yes, come in," Naruto said, and watched Kotetsu step inside. "You're late."

"_I'm_ on time," Kotetsu retorted. "_They_ are early. _You're_ the one that started without me."

"Yes, yes, shush," Naruto said, waving a hand. Kotetsu barely managed to refrain from rolling his eyes, it looked like.

"Anyway, as I was saying. We've been discussing a skills trade. This would theoretically promote village cooperation, and ease of communication between us and Suna," Naruto told them. "I have been telling everyone, in the groups that I am assigning them in. Each nin that consents to this exchange would be paid the usual fee for an A rank mission, as the other village is essentially hiring those involved to share certain abilities." He sat back. "I encourage participation, but I will not require it."

Ino frowned. "So basically you want us to spill our secrets to Suna?"

"No, we are sharing specific abilities or techniques with our allies in Suna," Naruto corrected. "The Kazekage is particularly interested in our iryo ninjutsu and our fuuinjutsu."

"And what will he be giving us in return?" Kiba asked, frowning.

"The Kazekage has agreed to share their puppetry techniques with us, as well as their expertise in poisons, provided we share in kind. That is why I have asked you here, Ino-chan. You are one of Konoha's best iryonin. Should we be able to push this through, I want you to go."

"What about the fuuinjutsu?" Ino asked. "Neither myself nor Kiba are exactly experts. In fact, Kiba knows absolutely nothing about seals." She gestured toward the male beside her, who nodded quickly in support of this fact.

Naruto was unsurprised, of course, and merely nodded. "I know. Sai is. I have already spoken with him, and he has agreed to go. All we're waiting on is you. Should you decide to go, Kotetsu here, Kiba, and Sai will be your teammates. You have one week to make your decision. Dismissed."

Ino and Kiba stood, bowed and departed. Kotetsu waited until they were gone before tossing a scroll at his Hokage. "From Temari of the Sand. Probably her new recipe."

"Cookies!"

"Noooo," came a moan from the other room.

Kotetsu snickered. "I should go make sure he isn't having a stroke..." he said, as always quick to tease his germophobe partner.

xXx

Less than twenty minutes later, after a meeting with Anko discussing her displeasure with certain annual events, a dash to the shopping district for more ramen (his had mysteriously disappeared) and suffering through Izumo's fretting over the state of his robes, Naruto had barely had time to flop into his chair and wish Hinata was home and not on a mission. Then there was a light knock on the door.

He glanced at the time and rolled his eyes. Always on time. Couldn't he ever be _late_? Or _early_? Did he just... wait around specifically so he could be on time? _Anal retentive, fussy, ex-nukenin-_ "Come in," the blond moaned, and forced himself to sit up straight.

"Hokage-sama," Uchiha Itachi said, stepping into his office. He politely shut the door behind him and faced the blond, no expression what-so-ever on his face to give away his thoughts.

"She still mad at you?" Naruto asked with a wince.

If possible, the look seemed to get even blanker. "I had hoped that her displeasure would be set on you," he admitted bluntly.

Naruto snorted. "So of course it's on you. You know how she is." He offered a chair and a smile. "Don't worry, she'll get over it eventually. She's not _really_ mad at you. She's just... a little overwhelmed."

"She broke up with me," Itachi replied, not sitting.

His Hokage blinked, and gave him a wide-eyed stare. "Oh."

"Aa." Itachi frowned at him. "Did you merely wish to speak of Sakura's current state?"

"No, I wanted to know if you've seen someone recently." He glanced toward the window, then performed a seal or six, muffling the room. "Kisame-san, specifically," he added once they had privacy.

Itachi's face remained neutral. "Kisame-san."

"Yes, I believe one of my teams ran into him. It was such odd behavior for a henge-disguised mizu nin that I had my suspicions. Are you still in contact with him, Itachi?" Naruto asked, also with a neutral expression.

Itachi didn't reply for a full minute, but he finally nodded slowly. "Yes, Hokage-sama..."

Naruto perked up. "Wonderful!" he chirped, amused by Itachi's brief flicker of surprise. _Ha! Naruto: 5, Itachi: 6._ He was catching up! "Perhaps we can make an arrangement. You will have to discuss it with Kisame-san, of course."

"An arrangement of what sort?" Itachi asked, eyes narrowing with suspicion.

Naruto's smile faded. "He's perfect for what I need..."

xXx

"You know, I was tempted to bring a pipe with me and stand outside your cell smoking it," Naruto said cheerfully.

Sasuke gave him a frown. "Like Sarutobi."

"Yes, essentially," agreed the Hokage. "So the guards tell me you've been behaving well! You know what that means?"

"Probation?" was the query, though it lacked any sort of hope.

"I'll revisit that in another ten years. No, you get a prize for good behavior. Name it, within reason, and I'll see if I can arrange it," Naruto said, beaming at his erstwhile friend.

Sasuke contemplated the fidgety blond for nearly ten minutes in absolute silence. Then, "A better dinner."

Naruto hummed thoughtfully. "I could arrange for that, perhaps once a week? How would you like that?"

"It's a start." Sasuke sat back on his bunk, and crossed his arms. "I want to see Sakura."

"No." There was no hesitation on Naruto's part, and Sasuke flinched. The blond continued. "She has already stated that she has no wish to ever go near you again, especially not now." He shook his head. "I won't allow it, even if she did."

"Why not?" Was it Naruto's imagination, or had there been a note of hurt in Sasuke's tone?

"Because you tried to kill her several times, kidnapped her to draw Itachi and I out to kill us, injured her badly... need I really go on, Sasuke? You blocked off that bridge, and then you burned it, years ago. There's no crossing it again, not after all the betrayal you've put her through."

"Then let me rebuild it," Sasuke insisted, leaning forward slightly.

"No." Naruto closed his eyes and drew in a deep breath. "I need to go. I'm sorry Sasuke. You'll get your good dinners once a week. I'll make sure they have tomatoes, mm?" He got up, gave his prisoner a sad glance, and left.

xXx

"Saaaaaakkkurrrraaa-chaaaaannnn!"

"EEK! SHANNARO!"

_Crack, crash, thud thud thud!_

"Oh my god, Forehead, you just jettisoned a Sannin!"

The two kunoichi peeked around the edge of the now destroyed fence, quickly finding the heap that was Jiraiya and some garbage bags. He moaned and started to roll over, and both women jerked out of sight. "Run!" the rosette kunoichi squeaked, and they both took off in a mad dash for the closest safehouse.

The Aburame strong-hold, aka compound. The guards blinked and watched them dash by in bemusement - Ino was not a threat, they knew, as she had been to this place several times while dating Kiba. The duo skidded to a stop in front of the main house door, even as it opened and Shibi - the clan head and Shino's father - looked out. He blinked at them. "Oh, hello. Erm... Kiba isn't here..."

"No, just trying to hide from a ninja pervert," Sakura panted. "Is Shino here? Or Kairi?"

"Erm... Shino's training... Kairi's stalking Taji-kun, I believe. Would you two like some tea while you wait?" Shibi asked, clearly bemused.

"Yes!" they yelped in unison, and got a blink for their trouble.

But he let them in and got them tea. And then they sat in silence, the women fidgeting as they sipped at their tea. Though, admittedly, the silence wasn't as uncomfortable for Sakura as it was for Ino. Sakura at least had regular exposure to Itachi. Ino... well, didn't.

"So." The blonde cleared her throat, and Shibi set down his tea politely (Sakura didn't bother setting it down, but she did lower it). "Um. How has your day been?"

Shibi's brows lifted slightly, but it was hard to tell beyond that due to the sunglasses. "Pleasant," he replied after a beat. "... and your's?"

"Oh, you know... Heh heh... not... bad... well, beyond Sakura being stalked by a pervert," Ino said thoughtfully. "We should tell the Hokage. He could deal with him."

"We're _not_ telling Naruto that his old teacher is stalking me," Sakura deadpanned around a sip of tea. "He would _never_ let me live it down."

Ino shrugged. "Suit yourself. But when he's going through your underwear drawer, don't come crying to me."

Sakura stiffened and stood up. "Excuse me, Shibi-san. I must go apologize to my fiance and coerce him into moving back into the house." She bowed and quickly hightailed it out of there.

Shibi blinked and looked at Ino expectantly. She beamed and took a sip of her tea. "Just keep this between us? I owe Jiraiya-sama a few ryou."

"You hired him?" he asked, brows lifting again.

"Oh goodness no, who do you take me for?" Ino said, and shook her head. "No, I'd just been trying to get her to go apologize all day!"

The Aburame clan head nodded and picked his tea back up. They lapsed into silence once more, broken only once when a clan member arrived to ask Shibi a question, then departed. He returned to her to find her fidgeting nervously and drawing intricate patterns on the table with a finger. "Perhaps you should go search out my son instead of waiting for him?" he suggested.

She jerked, actually having missed his return, and looked up at him with wide eyes. "Oh! I thought... um, you said... he was... you know, training..."

"Yes," Shibi agreed. And that was it.

Ino shifted uncomfortably before downing her tea, giving him a smile and getting up. "Have a nice day," she said, and quickly escaped. No reason for her to stick around if she wasn't wanted, after all.

xXx

**I was going to wait to post this until I got at least five chapters written... but meh. Anyway, here it is. Chapter 1 of **_**Principle of Nature**_**. Sequel to **_**I Spy**_**.**


	2. Deliberation

**Principle of Nature  
Chapter 2  
Deliberation**

Posted: Oct 14, 2012

xXx

_Naruto,  
Perhaps you could just kill one of them. That would help. Or at least, it would cut down on mouths to feed. As to your questions, I am fine, and I never thought you were homosexual. However, your former teammate Sai is another subject entirely. I believe he may be physically attracted to you._

Do not worry. Your opinion on Haruno-san will remain a secret, mostly because I rarely ever see her anyway.

In all seriousness, I do not know how to approach that problem. I have not had the misfortune of having to deal with it myself, and thus do not have the experience necessary to advise you. Perhaps you should ask Hatake-san. He seems to be knowledgeable in such matters.

I am also less than experienced in relationships in general than he, and thus a poor choice for a confidante. As you suggested, separation for a short time _may__ be a course of action to be considered. It could help you better determine if they are truly suffering difficulties due to their relationship, or if the cause is something else entirely._

I hope I have helped, but if not, I am sorry and hope you can find a way to come to a decision before any harm befalls your kunoichi or her partner.

-Gaara

Naruto looked up from the letter when there came a knock on the door. "Ah! Sai. Just the person I wished to see..."

xXx

Ino sighed and stared out the window, mouth pulled into a pout. She had three days left to make up her mind about going to Suna. Three days, and she still wasn't sure if she should go. Sure, she'd have Kiba with her, so it wasn't like she would miss him.

But... but _Gaara_ was there. As in the Kazekage. As in the guy that tended to scare her shitless and turn her on harder than a flipped switch on a vibrator. It was probably the danger.

Even when she and her teammates had been scared out of their minds, the thought of the redhead had made her shiver with excitement. It still did, more than anything Kiba could ever incite.

"You know," a familiar voice drawled boredly, "I heard once that if you scowl so much, your face'll stick that way."

Blue eyes lifted, narrowing, at her former teammate at the interruption. "Shut up, Shika," she retorted sourly.

He just shrugged and sat down, heaving a sigh. "So, I'm here."

Ino's frown softened. "Sorry for bothering you, Shika... I just didn't know anyone else that could even _possibly_ shed some light on the situation." She frowned faintly, poking at her muffin.

"Is this about your trip to Suna?" he asked, brows lifting.

She huffed. "How do you even _know_ about that?"

A careless shrug was his answer. "I _am_ the Hokage's strategist. That kind of implies that he tells me everything about the missions." He waved a hand dismissively and stole her water. She didn't really protest. "Anyway, are you worried about going with Kiba?"

Ino blinked. "What? No. Not... Kiba." She grimaced and pushed her muffin away, no longer hungry. "No, it's... Eh... well..." But she suddenly felt incredibly foolish. What could she say? '_I'm crushing on the Kazekage, who may have flirted with me once, but I'm not sure_?' "Uhg. Forget it."

Shikamaru's brows lifted again as he picked up a chunk of her muffin. "Ino. You _insisted_ I come out here, pulled me away from a clan meeting - not that I'm particularly complaining or anything - and now you're going to just not say anything?"

The blonde thought about it for a moment, before giving him an innocent smile. "At least you got out of the meeting?"

"You're _so_ troublesome," he groaned, and stuffed the bit of muffin in his mouth. Then he just stared at her, clearly waiting for her to say something.

_Oh God. Now he's not going to leave until I spill. _ She glared back, though, determined now.

He picked up another piece of muffin and gave her that same look. "I could try guessing."

She blinked. Guessing? And this was Shikamaru. Guessing about her trepidation. She sat up straight and scowled at him. "No, don't you dare," she growled. No way in hell was she about to let him spin his theories about her love life!

Predictably, her former teammate ignored her. "Hmmm. Let's see... Kankuro, perhaps. I guess he's an okay looking guy, objectively. And he's definitely eyed you more than once, then again, who hasn't?" He popped the muffin into his mouth, looking thoughtful as he chewed.

Ino wasn't sure whether to deck him for guessing after she told him no, or flush at the backhanded compliment. She settled for a mixture of both, thumping him solidly on his head. "I said no!" she yelled irately as he cringed. She snatched the rest of the muffin away. "And this is mine, Baka-Shika!"

He sighed, rubbing what was sure to be a lump on his head. "Why don't you just tell me, then? You're the one that dragged me out here, and," he crossed his arms, "I know you're just going to worry yourself about it for ages before you break down and tell me anyway."

Scowling didn't do much more than make his frown back at her, so she quickly gave it up. "Uhg, okay, fine. Geez," she muttered, fully aware that he'd just mind-tricked her into telling him. _Stupid strategists._

Exhaling slowly, she leaned forward to tell him, making sure her voice was low. "It's... _Gaara_." And she sat up, pretty sure her face went through about five different shades of red in quick succession.

Shikamaru blinked at her. And then blinked again. After the third time, he sat back in his seat. "Huh." A brief pause, then, "I wasn't expecting that."

Any other day, she would have done a mental victory dance over surprising her teammate. Today, she felt far too embarrassed. (Also, was it just her, or were they being watched?) "... yeah," she managed after quashing her paranoia with a ten ton brick.

"So... I mean... do you like him or something?" the Nara asked, brows furrowing as he thought about it.

She could almost see the cogs in his brain turning round and round, and huffed irritably. "I guess. He's sexy as hell. I get all hot and bothered around him."

The strategist made a face at her. "Okay, too much information," he declared flatly, and shook his head. "Basically, you're physically attracted to the Kazekage."

"Uh huh. Basically."

"Uhg. You're so troublesome," he complained. He reached up and rubbed the bridge of his nose, frowning at her. "So... what exactly do you want from me? If it's advice, I'd say forget it. That guy's way too troublesome."

The kunoichi scowled at him. "What? Why? He's not so bad!"

"No, you're misunderstanding me," he said, waving one hand in a vague gesture that was probably meant to be placating. "I just mean that he's the Kazekage. I mean, there's a good deal of politics to consider, not to mention that you aren't even from his village, and you both know very little about each other. Also, you don't even know if he returns that attraction." He shrugged, sinking a bit into his chair. "Well, there is his personality to consider too, but I'm more worried about the fact that he just doesn't have time for any relationships. Physical or otherwise."

"You think so?" she asked, shoulders slumping, and received only a nod in response. "Well, I guess... then it'll be alright, for me to go and stuff, right? Since nothing could even possibly happen."

Shikamaru gave her a faint smile. "You'll be alright. Besides, aren't you seeing Kiba again?"

"How do you _know_ this stuff!"

xXx

Naruto heaved a sigh as he stared at the monument before him. He had somehow managed to sneak out of Izumo's grasp, leaving a shadow clone in his place, and was now hiding out on a random rooftop. Of course, he'd had to search for a while before he found a rooftop that was sufficiently blocked off, but with a decent view of the Hokage Monument.

_Ojiijii, look at me,_ he thought with a fond smile as he gazed up at the third. _I've been Hokage for two years already, and I haven't screwed up too bad. Yet._ He wished the old man was here, to give him advice if nothing else. What would he have to choose? Separate Ino and Kiba? Or let them linger, and hope for the best? Even as he thought it, Naruto knew he couldn't do that, but he still didn't know if separating them was the right course of action.

"So what, then, ojiijii? Just pick and watch it play out? I can't do that," he muttered to the wind, frowning up at the man. Sarutobi may have been able to do it, but Naruto certainly wouldn't.

Eyes like the ocean shifted to the man on Sarutobi's right, and Naruto's smile faded slightly. _Otosan._ He'd been absolutely stunned when, after gaining his office, Naruto had discovered _who_ he was related to. _To think I'd been his son all along._

The young man sighed, even as he felt a presence behind him. He turned his head, and smiled up at his former teacher. "Kakashi-sensei. You caught me," he said cheerfully.

One eye creased in a familiar smile. "Izumo-san is quite upset with you," the Copy-Nin commented. Despite his off-handed attitude, his back was straight and senses aware. He hadn't let his guard down around Naruto since the Hokage had pounced him in a playful mood six months previously.

The detail amused Naruto, who just continued to grin. "Ah, I know! Isn't he funny? Sakura-chan says I shouldn't tease him, but I can't help myself."

"You really shouldn't," the Hatake agreed, also still smiling. "He might have a heart attack."

"Well, he shouldn't let himself get so over-stressed," Naruto retorted, and sighed as he returned his gaze to the cliff side. "Oh, you're right. I'll apologize later and bring him some wipes or something."

A silence lapsed between them for a few moments as Naruto mused how grateful he actually was for Izumo. If not for his assistant, he would definitely have screwed up ten times over. He could still remember the day that Izumo and Kotetsu had come in to report to their Hokage, to find him panicking over the sheer amount of paperwork that had piled up just over night.

The both of them had taken a few minutes to calm Naruto down, before Izumo took control and helped him systematically work his way through it all. Kotetsu had also helped at first, but after a while had given up and left. The two of them had managed to get it taken care of by about dinner time, and Naruto had dragged Izumo out to Ichiraku for thanks (and also insisted that Ichiraku-san just call him Naruto, and not 'Hokage-sama' every other sentence).

The next day, Izumo had popped up asking if Naruto needed help again, and Naruto had been the most thankful person on the planet. If not for Izumo, the blond would have long since killed himself from paper-avalanche. He'd never truly appreciated just how much work Tsunade had _done_ while training him. She hadn't been kidding when she'd told him she did her half.

Naruto sighed, making a mental note to buy Izumo something really nice. His assistant really was pretty much his life-saver. "Alright, fine," he muttered. "Wipes, a trash can _and_ dinner."

"... Naruto-sama," Kakashi chided, tone exasperated, and the blond just laughed. "Are you going to be returning to the tower any time soon?"

"Probably. Was thinking about ramen first, though," Naruto replied, finally climbing to his feet. He turned to regard his former teacher thoughtfully. "Can... I ask your opinion on something, Kakashi-sensei?"

The pale-haired jonin blinked at him, and then his single visible eye roved around pointedly. "Here?"

"Well, it's fine. I suppose," Naruto muttered, frowning. "Aw, alright. Let's have dinner, okay? I can be more at ease around Ichiraku's."

His mentor nodded slowly, though he was clearly perplexed. "Alright. Dinner sounds good."

That's when Naruto's grin came back, turning impish. "Last one there buys!" And he vanished.

"Wha- Dammit!" Kakashi took off after his Hokage, cursing stupid jutsus.

xXx

Naruto sighed as he sat back, at least a dozen bowls stacked near him on the counter. He was quite smug. The blond had long since tagged Ichiraku's shop; before he was Hokage, even. It had actually been Sai's fault, since the two of them were racing and Naruto had lost. Of course, he'd been forced to pay for the ramen, but had secretly vowed _never again_. That had been when he'd tagged the booth, knowing that teleporting was quicker (even if it was slightly cheating).

Kakashi, needless to say, was not amused. Still, he didn't argue and ate two bowls of miso-with-chicken ramen before sitting back. "Gochisousama," he mumbled, frowning darkly at Naruto the entire time.

Ichiraku smiled and handed over a bill, knowing that Naruto was done. Kakashi took it. And blinked. "Wait..."

"Oh, Naruto-sama eats half-off, of course," Ichiraku said, amused. "He would be free, but... he eats a lot."

The blond chuckled at Kakashi's pout. "Ne, thank you for the food, Ichiraku-san! Don't mind us; we'll leave after a bit."

Ichiraku nodded, smiling at him, and turned to start washing the dishes. Kakashi heaved a sigh and pulled his mask back up over his face, settling it in place once more. "Alright, you wanted to talk?"

"Yeah. About Ino and Kiba," Naruto murmured, grin fading. "I don't know what to do with them. Ino... I believe that a part of her really cares about Kiba. A lot, in fact. Maybe she even loves him. Normally, this wouldn't be an issue, but... the more time passes, the more often she returns from a mission injured. I keep getting reports from her teammates saying that she spaces out a lot, or loses her temper, or lets the enemy get the jump on her. Now, I know it's a lot to just _assume_ it's relationship stuff. But that's why I want your thoughts on the matter. I don't know it's that, but... I'm pretty sure."

Kakashi nodded, gaze shifting away from Naruto to flicker over the immediate area as he considered the problem. "You can always separate them to be sure," he commented after a beat.

Naruto pouted. "Yeah, Gaara said the same thing." He sighed. "But is that the right thing to do? I mean, if the problem is their relationship, what if separating them just makes it worse?"

Sighing, the Copy-Nin turned to face his erstwhile student. "Naruto-sama, I cannot give you guarantees. I can offer suggestions, and I can offer assistance, but I do not know the future. I do know that sometimes separation helps. It may even force both Ino and Kiba to rethink their relationship as it is." He smiled and shrugged at the younger man. "But I don't know for sure."

The blond chewed on his lip for a long moment, thinking it over. "Can I ask you a favor then?"

xXx

"Are you ready?" Kotetsu asked, watching the blond approach the gates.

"For what?" Sai replied, blinking at him. But Kotetsu was just nodding toward Ino, and the former Root nin looked at her. "She looks upset."

Kotetsu snorted. "That's putting it mildly." Actually, Ino looked pretty pissed off, and he wondered if it was because she and Kiba had gotten into another fight, or that Kiba wasn't going to be coming with them. _Except she probably doesn't know yet..._ So they'd gotten into another fight, then.

Taking a bracing breath, he lifted his hand in a wave. "Hello, Ino-chan! Lovely morning, isn't i-"

"Bite me," she snarled, stalking past him.

Sai smiled. "Did you have a fight with dog-breath?"

The blond whipped around and stalked up to him with such suddenness that Sai actually took a step back. She jabbed a finger into his chest. "Don't call him that! And _yes_ I had a fight with him! We're through! I hate him! I hope he gets lost on the way to Suna!"

"Uhh... about that," Kotetsu said slowly, drawing her attention. "He's... been replaced."

He expected her to shout at him in anger, not grin brightly. "Great! Wonderful! Thank you, Kotetsu-san, you have _officially_ made my day!" And then she _hugged_ him.

He quickly extricated himself and stepped behind Sai. "Uh, yeah, thanks? I think... Um, just so you know, I'm in a relationship and not at all available. Kay?"

Predictably, the blonde scowled again. "I'm not _interested_ in you, idiot. Anyway, you said Kiba was replaced? Where's his replacement? And who is it?" Then she frowned. "He's late."

Kotetsu wisely did not point out that so was she. "Hokage-sama didn't tell me who the replacement was. Just that there was one and he'd show up today."

In fact, Naruto's exact words were, _"He'll show up the day you leave, eventually, but don't be surprised if he's late. That idiot's always late."_

Thus far, Sai and Kotetsu had waited an hour, and the latter assumed that Ino was late due to her tiff with Kiba. That didn't explain their mystery teammate, though.

As if summoned, there was a poof of smoke to Sai's right, and Kakashi was smiling at them as it cleared, a familiar orange book clasped in one hand. "Yo!" he greeted.

Ino twitched. "I should have known," she said irritably. "Why the hell did you keep us waiting?"

Sai opened his mouth, and Kotetsu elbowed him to shut him up. Anyway, Kakashi was already answering. "Ahh, sorry about that. A cranky lady kept me." A thoughtful pause followed this announcement. "I'm pretty sure she was trying to kill me..."

Snorting, the blonde rolled her eyes. "Whatever, Kakashi. Can we get going already?"

"Ah, right!" Kakashi nodded and smiled through his mask at Kotetsu. "After you, taicho."

_Why do I feel like these teammates are going to stress me out horribly?_ Kotetsu wondered. He tossed a wave toward Genma and Shino, who were the guards at the moment, on his way out the gates.

xXx

**Le gasp! Did I actually finish a chapter (roughly) within a week and post?! Well, one day over ****a week. Bite me.**

Anyway, sorry if things are a bit... eh, rough. This is unedited, and I'm getting used to the idea of writing a story about Ino instead of Sakura or Hinata. Never done that before. XDD It should be interesting, at least, ne?

Please review, thank you for reading, and have a nice day!  
As always,  
Lost to the Hoping.


	3. Teammates Death Threats Unexpected News

**Principle of Nature  
Chapter 3  
Of Teammates, Death Threats and Unexpected News**

A/N: Right, so I would like to note that, while this is officially an InoxGaara story... it's actually an InoGaa/ItaSak story. Just... y'know... so you know. I'm incapable of writing a story containing ItaSak without writing in the ItaSak.

Posted: 10/26/12

xXx

_Yo Gaara!  
Well, I made a decision and have separated the two for the foreseeable future. Actually, both were going to be traveling to Suna for the exchange, however I have replaced my male shinobi. Only the kunoichi is coming, to offer her medical expertise. And before you ask, __no__, I'm not talking about Sakura and Itachi. I don't have a death wish. Well, you'll meet her about a day after you get this letter anyway._

I have assigned a trusted nin to her team to keep an eye on her and see how she does, so you don't need to worry about having someone do so for me. Obviously. I have also sent a man with experience in fuuinjutsu, and though he isn't nearly as good at it as Ero Sennin, he has spent considerable time studying under my old teacher, so he's more practiced than I am.

I hope this letter finds you and your siblings well. Tell your brother I said hi, and your sister that the cookies were wonderful. Thank her for the recipe.

One more thing... my birthday's next month! _Send me something, you stingy bastard.___

-Naruto

Rolling his eyes, Gaara jotted down a note to get Naruto a specialized kunai or something. It was easier than listening to the idiot whining.

xXx

"Sometimes I wonder if you are actually a genius, or just an idiot," Naruto said, staring at his nin in exasperation.

One Uchiha Itachi actually looked offended for about two seconds, before the expression was swallowed by his usual show of apathy. "Sometimes, _Hokage-sama_, I wonder much the same thing."

Naruto smirked, amused rather than annoyed by the spitefully dropped title. "So she kicked you out again, eh? I thought you guys made up earlier this week?"

"Yes." That was it.

Snickering softly, the blond sat back in his chair, rather enjoying the fact that Sakura was taking out her displeasure with the forced vacation on Itachi. "And? What do you expect me to do about it?"

There was a long moment in which Uchiha said nothing, instead staring at Naruto blankly. Then he sighed. "Make her take me back."

A few birds were scared off by the force of the Hokage's laughter.

xXx

"So... _why_ do I have to be here, again?" Shikamaru asked.

"Because my fiance's a dick and he's not allowed into the house."

The Nara frowned at the kunoichi bustling about the kitchen as she prepared dinner. "Let me rephrase. Why do _I_ have to be here?"*

Sakura rolled her eyes and scowled at him. "That's not rephrasing, Shikamaru, that's re-emphasizing."

"Whatever."

She huffed and moved the pot off the stove for its contents to cool, before darting over to the microwave when it chimed. "I just... wanted company, and you get free, no-effort food out of it, so why are you even complaining?"

Shikamaru shifted, frowning. "I don't know. Just seems like a lot of effort to me."

The woman pointed a wooden spoon at him. "You know who's troublesome?" she demanded, but didn't wait for an answer. "You are. _You_ are troublesome, Nara Shikamaru. Stop complaining and drink your tea!"

He lifted both hands in surrender. "Alright, alright." He waited a few minutes for her to chill out before asking the next question, just because he _had_ to know. "Are you forcing me to be here because Ino's gone?"

She pouted as she started to set the food down on the table. "What? I can't believe you'd think of me that way, Shikamaru!"

"So yes," he replied with a sigh.

Frowning, she set down the last dish and then propped her hands on her hips. "Do you want the dinner, or no?"

Shikamaru eyed her for a beat, then nodded. "Yeah. Sure." Sakura was a decent cook (though she had nothing on Ino's mother), and he was here anyway, so he may as well. Though that was crappy reasoning to begin with; he'd probably stay even if it was horrible.

Of course, he was not at all surprised when, ten minutes later, Sakura heaved a sigh. And then said nothing. Even so, he could feel her focus directed at him, and finally spoke up. "Something on your mind?" Giving in was less of a pain.

The female just shrugged. "I'm... I had this fight, with Itachi..."

_So that's what she wants_, Shikamaru thought in dismay. She wanted an _ear_. _Gods, is there no escape? Choji, man, where are you when I need a cop-out!?_

Meanwhile, Sakura continued uninterrupted. "It's his fault, you know! Everything is solely his fault. He's like one big..." She gestured inarticulately for a moment before huffing. "Trouble magnet! Bad luck, all over the place!"

_And __**I'm**__ the one that's troublesome?!_

"And now I can't even break up with him, 'cause I'm stuck with his friggin' _kid_!" Sakura wailed, and dropped her head onto the table.

_Blink blink._ "Wait... you're pregnant?" the Nara asked, eyes wide. She made a noise that may or may not have been an affirmative, but he took it as one anyway. "With... _Itachi's_ kid?" The same noise repeated, and Shikamaru started trying to figure out an escape. Was Itachi watching him right now? What if he'd messed up? He'd get knifed in his sleep for sure!

"Don't worry, Shikamaru," Sakura deadpanned, now glaring at him. "Itachi's nowhere near here."

A part of him hesitantly relaxed, but he still frowned suspiciously at her. "How do you know?"

She groaned and dropped her head back onto the table. "Would you stop pitching a fit and just listen? I don't even want advice! I just want an ear."

_So she admits it,_ he thought, somewhat victoriously. "Fine, but make sure your fiance doesn't kill me in my sleep for breathing the same air as you."

Sakura sat up again, holding up her fist, and then one finger. "One, I would not let him. He would die if he even thought about it. Don't give me that 'I doubt it' look; Itachi would let me at least beat on him because I'm pregnant with his kid." She held up the second finger. "Two, Itachi doesn't go around killing people that talk to me. He's not crazy." A third went up. "Three, he won't kill you for breathing the same air as me. He'd kill you for coughing in that air."

"You just contradicted yourself," he pointed out nervously.

"Grrr! FINE! GET OUT!" she yelled.

Shikamaru ran like the hounds of hell were on his heels.

xXx

"... legs hurt, feet hurt, eyes hurt- why does the sun have to reflect off of all the fucking sand? Can you believe that? It's reflecting the sun! I'm going to get sunburn before we reach Suna. I swear it! And then I'll look like-"

Kotetsu had already tuned the complaining blonde out, and beside him, Kakashi's nose was firmly buried in his book. "Do you read the same one over and over?" he asked softly, careful not to alert Ino to the fact that he was deliberately ignoring her.

"Hm?" Kakashi didn't lift his gaze as he turned the page.

"Your book," the team captain clarified.

A noncommittal hum was the only answer, so Kotetsu just gave up. Instead he glanced over at the other male in their party whom, he noted with no little amount of irritation, didn't even appear to be sweating. In fact, Sai was just ambling along, nodding whenever Ino looked at him, and smiling his usual fake smile. It was like the sun had no effect on him whatsoever, which kind of pissed Kotetsu off a bit.

He turned his gaze back to Ino, sighing as he let the complaining wash over him again. Did she never run out of breath?

"-can't believe we're just _walking_. Can't we like run or something? Jeez, I don't even understand this- and how the hell do Suna natives _stand_ it!? I HATE IT!"

xXx

It wasn't the sun that woke Sakura, seeping through her window to wake her with all the gentleness it could. Nor was it her lover and fiance, dipping the bed with his weight as he sat and offered a steaming mug of coffee. No, Haruno Sakura was not awoken by either of these things.

Instead, it was to a familiar face, stretched in a wide grin. The only reason Sakura didn't pitch him through a wall was because this was her house. Still... "_NA-RU-TOOOOO_!"

She at least beat him up.

Twenty minutes later, he was nursing a black eye (that, she noted with irritation, was already healing), and she was nursing a cup of coffee. "So? What the hell do you need to wake me up for?" she demanded.

"Can't I want to visit my best friend?" he asked innocently, and grinned when she leveled a flat look on him. "Alright, alright, you caught me. I'm here on, and I quote, a 'mission of love'. Lee popped up in my room this morning, bitching at me for allowing yours and Itachi's 'youthful enchantment' to 'wither like roses in the winter'." He shrugged helplessly.

The kunoichi scowled at him. "Do you make a habit of letting your nin push you around, Naruto?"

"When they start singing love sonnets? Yeah," he deadpanned, and picked up his own mug of coffee.

Sakura was silent for a moment as she tried to block the mental theatre. "Uhg. Okay. Fine. Whatever." She shook her head. "But I'm not letting him back in the house."

Her former teammate sighed. "At least tell me why you keep kicking him out? It _was_ his place first, you know."

"He has seven acres of land, complete with houses, to pick from. He'll live," she retorted.

"Sakura."

She huffed, annoyed by the instant inner jerk that came as a conditional response to Naruto's recently developed "Hokage" voice. "He got me pregnant! What do you want?" she demanded. "It's not like being kicked out will make him a less efficient nin, so you can't be here because of that."

The blond shrugged, propping his jaw on an open palm. "Well, no. But his moral is low. And while I know he can work just the same as always in that state, I don't want him to have to." His brows furrowed. "Is being pregnant with his kid really bothering you that much?"

"No!" she protested immediately, sitting up straight. "Of course not! I love him, and I... I love the fact that we're going to have a family together..."

"But?"

She shook her head and slouched again. "No buts. It's not the fact that I'm pregnant that annoys me. I guess... it's a combination of 'I can't go on missions', and 'Itachi is an overbearing sunovabitch'."

Naruto blinked at that. "Overbearing?" he echoed, surprised. "What do you mean?"

"I mean," she growled, "That he stalks me like some sort of obsessed freak whenever he's not on a mission! I'm at the hospital, oh my god, there he is. I'm going shopping, he shadows my every move. I am _not_, by any _stretch_ of the imagination, _BREAKABLE_!"

He flailed a little, waving his arms as if that would fend her off. "Okay, okay, I believe you! Have you told him to give you space?"

She slammed her fist onto the table, baring her teeth furiously. "Yes! So he stopped revealing himself. But I _know_ he's there!"

"How?"

"The hospital has video cameras," Sakura snarled.

Her former teammate laughed nervously under the force of her glower. "Oh, right... I'll... talk to him?"

Even though it had come out like a question, the offer seemed to calm her a bit. "Yes. Thank you."

"And you'll let him be here in exchange?" he prodded.

"Only if he _actually_ stops stalking me," she replied, scowling.

Naruto heaved a relieved sigh. "Great. Good. Thank you." There was a brief pause before he cleared his throat and spoke up again. "Also, do you know why Shikamaru's been requesting missions? He won't tell me."

Sakura's head met the table as she groaned in exasperation. _ I hate being awake_.

xXx

"Uh, Gaara?"

The redhead looked up to find his older brother peeking inside his office. "What is it?"

Kankuro opened the door wider, half stepping into the room. "The team from Konoha has arrived. They're waiting in the lobby. You want me to send them up?"

Gaara frowned and glanced down at his papers. "Give me five minutes, then send them."

"Alright," the puppeteer agreed, and ducked back out. He hurried back through the Kazekage dome and down three sets of stairs before reaching the wide front room. There, a four-man team in Konoha garb (some of it rather impractical, really) and nin gear waited with a secretary.

The tallest of the group, a familiar silver-haired jonin, was cheerfully chatting with the civilian woman, the corners of his sole visible eye creased in a smile. He didn't turn immediately as Kankuro approached, though the other three did. A black haired man with a cloth wrapped over the bridge of his nose stepped forward. "Ah, Kankuro-san, correct?"

The puppeteer stopped several feet away as Kakashi finally turned toward him. "Yes, that's me. Welcome to Suna," he greeted with a wide smile.

The man nodded. "I am Hagane Kotetsu, the leader of this team. I believe you know my teammates, Ino, Kakashi and Sai? Thank you for meeting us."

With the official introductions out of the way, Ino grinned and waved. "Hello, Kankuro-san! Have you been doing well?"

He smiled back. "Yup! Pretty much. Kazekage-sama will see you now," he said, judging that enough time had passed between him leaving the office and now. Or at least it would have by the time they got up there.

The blonde was visibly relieved, and offered another warm smile, though it was actually 'Kotetsu' that answered. "Good. We have much to discuss before the day is through."

For the next hour and a half, Gaara and Kotetsu had negotiated a long list of techniques that would be exchanged over the two months that his team would be in Suna. When they had finally finished Ino was dead tired, hungry and more than a little grumpy. Sai looked as unphased as always, Kotetsu seemed a bit tired, but satisfied and...

_Is Kakashi-san asleep on his feet?_

As if in answer, the Hatake opened his visible eye and looked back at her with a smile. She rolled her eyes and turned her attention back to Kotetsu when their captain and the Kazekage stood. "Kankuro will escort you to where you will be staying, and you will all meet your official escorts in the morning," Gaara said, gaze sweeping over the rest of the team.

Ino mercilessly quashed a butterfly or seven in her stomach, and offered him a convincingly tired smile. It helped that she _was_ actually exhausted.

"Dismissed."

The team filed out after Kankuro, but Ino glanced back to find that the Kazekage was sitting down. She paused, and he looked up. "Yes? What is it, Yamanaka-san?"

It was like she couldn't help herself, because she was smiling at him again. "Goodnight, Kazekage-sama," she said softly, and closed the door behind her.

Gaara blinked at the reinforced wood, surprised. There was something odd about her voice when she'd said that... _What is it?_ But then he shook his head and started writing a response to Naruto. The blond was likely anxious to hear back from him, anyway.

xXx

**Yes, it's a short chapter, I'm sorry! But it's because the scene I originally had at the end of this chapter was so long it exceeded my expectations for length, and breaking it wasn't really an option. So you'll get it next week! Maybe.**

***for a funnier use of this phrase, check out **_**Kage no Monogatari**_**. XD**

**Anyway, to make up for the shortness of the chapter, here's an Omake.**

xXx

"And you're sure?" Jiraiya asked, giving his companions a stern look.

Lee nodded slowly, standing at attention before him. "Yes, I'm certain."

Dark eyes shifted to the other male. "There's no doubt?"

The Hokage nodded grimly. "None."

"Very well then," the Sannin replied, with such an air of seriousness that it was difficult to believe whatever came of this would be good. He rolled up the scroll in his hands. "We must procure evidence immediately. Lee!"

The young man saluted automatically, just barely biting back, 'Hai, Gai-sensei!' "Your orders, Master!"

"Get a camera!" Jiraiya barked, satisfied when the youth took off. "Naruto!" The Hokage straightened. "Fetch Sai! We need photographic _and_ painted evidence!" But mostly painted evidence, for his books.

"Yes!"

"Mission: Prove Hatake's Face is a go!" He would defeat the undefeated Face Hiding Champion!

(_TBC_)

**Till next time! XD**


	4. Make Your Impressions

**Principle of Nature  
Chapter 4  
Make Your Impressions**

**A/N: Another note! … there will be OCs in this story. They are semi-relevant. Don't bitch at me about how I'm using OCs. Don't flame me about it. Just read the friggin' story and enjoy. I promise it's not going to be crappy just because I am using OCs.**

xXx

_Naruto,  
Your shinobi have arrived. In fact, they just left my office. I didn't know the kunoichi you had mentioned was her. I am familiar with her, however. I believe you may have been wise to consider separating them. Even in my office, without his presence, she seemed out of it. I think despite the guard you sent for her, I will keep an eye on her dealings during her stay here._

_As for your birthday, I am __not__ stingy. I am busy. There is a difference. I forget __once__ and you harp on about it for years? Give it up, you blond simpleton. Your present should arrive with this letter, and I'm only getting you __anything__ because you are my friend. __Not __because you're a bothersome pest of a kage with too much of a fixation on that disgusting ramen dish._

_Don't you ever claim I never gave you anything.  
_-Gaara

_PS: You had better return the favor, idiot._

Naruto was laughing so hard he was red in the face by the time he finished reading the missive. _Oh Gaara, you're so easy_, he thought cheerfully, and dragged the small box the letter had come with closer.

xXx

Thankfully, Ino was already awake and dressed by the time Sai slipped through her window, and as such, was fully capable of verbally tearing him a new one. He just continued to smile at her the whole time, and finally told her that their escorts were waiting in the lounge of the team's suite.

She huffed and grumbled for a few more minutes before finally strapping on her visible weapons pouch and stalking out the door. Sai simply followed her rather than pretend he'd never been in her room, but she didn't particularly care what any of the stupid Suna residents thought. She was annoyed and hadn't had coffee yet.

Also, did Suna even have coffee? _How will I survive two months without it?!_

However, her fears were put to rest by a delightful smell that smacked her in the face as she entered the lounge from the connecting hall. She bypassed Kakashi, Kotetsu and two Suna nin, making a bee-line for the coffee pot set on a table in the far corner. Beside it, she noted distantly, sat a tray with fruit and some sort of pastry.

"You know, Sakura does the exact same thing," she heard Kakashi commenting idly somewhere behind her.

Only once she had her coffee, and had taken at least two delightful sips, did she turn to face the rest of the room with a smile. "Good morning!"

Kotetsu offered her a slight smile. "Good morning, Ino-san. These are our escorts." He nodded to the two nin who were waiting patiently.

Both bowed in unison as she gave them a once-over, and the older one - a man with a cloth covering the majority of his face and head - spoke up. "I am Baki of the sand, and I will be the escort of Sai-san and his guard," he said, then gestured toward the shorter male beside him. "This is Kami. He is to be the escort of you, Yamanaka-san, and your guard."

Ino's captain was nodding as the other fell silent. "It's nice to meet you both. Baki-san, I am to be Sai's guard, and Kakashi-san here will be accompanying Ino-san."

"Very good," Baki murmured, dark eyes focusing on Sai. "When you both are ready, I will escort you back to the Kazekage dome, where you will be working for the duration of your stay."

Sai and Kotetsu exchanged a look, the former speaking up. "We're ready," he replied, smiling widely at Baki. "I have read that it is polite to thank you for escorting us, Baki-san, so thank you."

The older nin took the odd statement in stride and turned, gesturing for the Konoha nin to precede him out the door. "Very well. Let's go."

Kotetsu hesitated, turning toward Kakashi and Ino. "Alright, I suppose we'll meet up later tonight. Do your best, Ino-san."

"I will. Good luck," Ino replied, waving at him as she sipped at her coffee.

The three filed out before Kakashi turned to smile at Ino through his mask. "Best eat quickly, so we can get going ourselves, Ino-chan."

The blonde nodded, pale eyes flickering over to the still silent Suna escort, before she reached for a strange fruit on the tray beside the coffee pot. She turned it over, brow furrowing as she eyed it, before focusing again on 'Kami'. "What is this?" she asked the blue-haired youth.

"A prickly pear," he replied, voice so soft that she almost didn't hear him. He held out a hand. "I'll show you."

Curiously, she tossed the pear to him, brows lifting as he took out a knife. From there, he peeled the skin off as he crossed the room, and held out the now naked fruit to her. "It's sweet. You'll like it."

She offered him a smile as she took it, careful not to be obvious about her poison check on the thing. "Thank you, Kami-san." Her chakra showed that it was clean, so she took a careful, curious bite.

It _was _sweet, she found, and grimaced as a bit of the juice dripped down her chin. She snagged a napkin from the tray, wiping her mouth, and quickly finished the fruit. Then she washed her hands in a nearby basin, grabbed some of the odd, square, crumbly pastry before turning to the men. "Alright, I'll eat this on the way. I take it we're going to the hospital?"

Kami nodded. "Yes. I will be bringing you there to arrange things with Asana-san, the head medic."

"Right then. Lead the way," she said, and bit into the pastry. She was delighted to find that it tasted like baked honey, with bits of some sort of nut.

The sapphire-haired boy nodded and turned away, leading them out of the building. They crossed through the open space that Ino supposed was a street, situated right outside of the visitor's hotel, and into a narrow alley between two squat stone structures. She vaguely recognized them as a store and possibly someone's home, though the fashion of their construction was quite a bit different than the places back home.

When they emerged from the alley, the kunoichi was pleasantly surprised to spy the familiar silhouette of the Suna hospital; their guide had brought them through a shortcut, apparently. She grinned and hurried to catch up with him. "So, Kami, right?"

Eyes only a few shades darker than his hair shifted to meet her own. "Yes. That is my name."

"Really? Like 'god'?" she asked as they walked up the three short stairs to the hospital.

He shrugged. "A spirit," he corrected mildly. "It is... a title, I suppose. Given to me by my fellows when I was a child."

Ino beamed at that. "Oh, that's nice." The door closed behind them and she glanced back at Kakashi. His nose was once again firmly buried in his little orange book. She refocused on Kami. "You said we're meeting someone, right?"

"Yeah," he hummed, gaze roving over the room. "Asana-san, the hospital director." He walked up to the check in desk, drawing the attention of the male secretary sitting there. "Where is Asana-san? Her morning appointment is here."

The man shook his head. "Pardon, but the appointment will have to wait a bit. Asana-sama is assisting with emergency surgery at the moment."

Kami frowned at that, but Ino spoke up. "That's alright! I can wait," she said, smiling at the man, and looked at her escort. The youth merely stepped away from the counter silently, apparently content to let her handle things, and so she returned her attention to the secretary. "Do you know how long Asana-san will be?"

In response, the man stood and reached over a cabinet, grabbing a clipboard off a wall covered with them, and peered at it. "Ah, well she's in with a team recently returned from a mission, and there are a few serious injuries, so probably anywhere between one to three hours."

The blonde sighed, but knew that she wouldn't be able to pull this 'Asana-san' away anytime soon. "Alright. Is there a place I can wait in the meantime?"

"You can wait in the worker's lounge upstairs. Second floor, hallway C, third door on the left from the stairwell. Labeled 'break room'," he provided.

She grinned, winking at him. "Thank you! You're a doll," she said flirtatiously.

He chuckled and held up his left hand, showing off a ring. "Sorry, sweetheart, but I'm attached."

"I bet the girls everywhere cried that day," she shot back, grinning. "Have a nice day, _sweetheart_!" He just grinned back and sat down.

She waved as she turned away, looking for the stairs, and hurried over to them once she spied the familiar sign. She smiled at Kami, who got the door for her, and jogged up the steps to the second floor. From there, it was relatively simple to track down the break room, and she slipped inside to find it empty.

"Aaah, peace. I wonder if I'm allowed to get a drink," she mused.

Kami nodded, walking over to the a small fridge set up in the corner. "Yes. Anyone allowed access to this room is welcome to the contents of the fridge, so long as they aren't labeled." As if to prove his point, he gestured toward a sign saying just that, hanging from a nail on the wall.

Ino sat at the long folding table set up in the middle of the room. It made sense; it was the desert, after all. "Great! Be a sweety and get me some water, please?" She grinned up at him when he blinked in her direction, and he moved to oblige.

Now she had to wait.

xXx

Dark eyes lifted as the door opened, and the man in chains smiled faintly. "Ani."

Itachi stopped before the bars and nodded back as the door clunked closed behind him. "Sasuke."

His little brother reached over to a small lump on his pillow, and picked it up. He tossed it easily between the bars, unsurprised when Itachi caught it. "I finished reading the book. It was boring."

"Hm." Dark eyes trailed over the younger male before Itachi shrugged. "I'll see if I'm allowed to bring another."

Another smile. "Thanks." Sasuke shifted in his seat on the floor, leaning back against his bunk. "So? How is everyone? Is Naruto still seeing that Hyuuga girl?"

Nodding, Itachi pulled up his usual stool and sat. "Yes. They are still dating."

A soft snort was the boy's response before he moved on. "And you? You're not wearing a ring, so I guess you and Sakura haven't tied the knot yet."

"No, not yet. She is... displeased with me at the moment." Itachi frowned at this, obviously upset about it.

Sasuke quirked a brow at him. "Really? Why? I thought you two were all candy clouds and sugarcane these days."

Itachi winced at the description, but he got the point. While he _had_ missed his visit last week due to a mission, he hadn't really thought about how so much could change in just two weeks. _Do I want to tell him, though?_ "Personal matters, mostly. I assume she'll get over it shortly." _At least I hope so._

He eyed his brother briefly before asking the question that had been nagging him lately, ever since his brother's requests to see Sakura had become so numerous that Naruto hesitated to visit him at all. "Do you love her?"

A brief pause was the only evidence that spoke of Sasuke's surprise. Then he exhaled slowly, loudly. "Love? Sakura?" He only got a blank nod, and averted his gaze. "Maybe once, a little bit. When I was a little boy and she a little girl that had eyes only for me. Now? No."

He huffed, the sound not unlike a laugh. "That bridge, even if I wanted to cross it, has long since burned down."

Itachi's heart twisted at the emotion buried within that answer. At the same time, it chilled just a bit toward the other Uchiha. _No, I can't tell him. _He couldn't trust Sasuke with that news. "I have to go," he said, even as the door opened. "I'll see about another book."

"Yeah. Thanks."

xXx

Kankuro lifted his hand to knock on the door before him, but paused at a sharp exhale from within. He checked for chakra, but it was concealed. "Kazekage-sama, you can't be serious!" a familiar voice hissed. "This is ridiculous! You can't expect us to spill our secrets!"

There was silence for a beat, and a soft click, followed by a nervous rattle. Gaara spoke up, voice soft and unimpressed. "You will abide by the trade agreement."

Another click, another, sharper rattle. "I didn't agree to this, Kazekage-sama. None of us did. You _cannot_ force us to do something so ludicrous. We are our own martial body, even if we are utilized by Sunagakure, and you are a _fool _if you think you can force the corps to reveal its secrets."

The eavesdropping jonin frowned sharply and reached for the handle, but paused when he noticed something out of the corner of his eye. He turned his head, startled to find a sand eye peering at him curiously. Kankuro waited.

"And you? Are you of the same opinion as Saru?" Gaara asked.

His older brother listened carefully for any noise at all, before finally catching a disinterested hum. "My opinion matters little, Kazekage-sama," a faintly feminine voice replied coolly. "Only the Troupe Master has the authority to make such a deal with you."

The other in the room made a choking sound as realization apparently dawned, and the eye faded to floating particles of sand. Kankuro opened the door, slipping in soundlessly, and let it click shut behind him.

Kumo and Saru both turned toward him. The tall, lithe woman smiled and hid her face behind her fan; Kankuro wondered if she hadn't already known he was there. The darkly tan, stocky male puffed up immediately, visibly annoyed. "Karasu!" he barked in his seldom used commander's voice. "Did you really make such a deal?"

Kankuro shrugged, remaining in his place before the door. "Yes. In return, we get their expertise in seals. I understand that, should the agreement continue in such a way that both villages are clearly benefitting, the Hokage will ensure that his Seals master spends some time here."

Dark grey eyes were snapping with hot fury as Saru took a step toward him. "How dare you! We may as well give them our backs to knife!" he snarled, and shoved past his Troupe leader.

Kankuro let him go, and looked at Kumo. "Amused enough yet?" he drawled.

She closed her fan with a sharp, sudden clack and tucked it away up her sleeve. "Of course, Karasu-sama," she murmured. "Was there anything else you needed?"

The Puppet Master quirked a brow and met his brother's gaze. "Do I need to assign someone else, Kazekage-sama?" he asked.

"No."

"Then yes, Kumo. I need a volunteer."

Her crimson-painted smile widened. "Well why didn't you say so?"

xXx

When Asana finally showed up, she wasn't alone. Ino stiffened when they both stepped through the door, and then she scrambled to her feet, utterly surprised. "Good morning, Kazekage-sama," she squeaked, and inwardly winced.

That was when Asana drew the kunoichi's attention with a soft scoff. "_You _are the mednin from Konoha?" she demanded a bit incredulously. "My grandchildren are older than you!"

Blue eyes narrowed, but Ino forced a her inner professional to the surface with a rough mental kick. "I am the mednin, yes. I assume you are Asana-san? I was told you were in surgery."

Asana rotated her jaw as she eyed the younger woman, and Ino took the beat of silence to glance over her once more. Close-cropped charcoal hair, a severe jaw line and straight nose. She wore scrubs, sandals, and her tawny eyes stared back at Ino as if the younger female were a dubious ally to be watched closely.

"Hmph," the woman announced. "Yes. A nin team returned from their mission, three of them injured." Those pale brown eyes narrowed assessingly. "The captain had been impaled. Tell me, do you know how to deal with an impaled wound near the lung, girl?"

Ino ignored the combined gazes of the men in the room, experiencing a bit of nostalgia. She could still remember the day Shizune-sensei had drilled that knowledge into her head. "Of course. You have to assess the total damage first. Has it pierced the lung? Is it obstructing the breathing? If so, it must be removed as carefully and quickly as possible, and the blood flow must be staunched.

"It's best to slow the flow with chakra while the foreign object is removed. Regeneration of the lung and clearing of the airway is essential. Both must be accomplished quickly. One must also make sure that too much blood does not get into the lung during the procedure, or it may cause problems later on. From there, you have to re-evaluate the critical damage. If it's necessary, work on regeneration of the flesh to seal the wound, and rebuild any destroyed tissue or bone."

The blonde shrugged. "After that, the patient can be stabilized and set aside to finish healing on their own, and you are free to move onto the next patient."

Asana was quiet for a moment, expression unreadable, before she turned her attention to the redhead beside her. "You were correct, Gaara-sama. She'll do."

Ino bit back her relieved sigh, stealing a quick glance toward the others in the room. Kakashi was reading again - no surprise there - and Kami appeared to be counting the knots in the wood grain of the table. She doubted either of them had been listening at all. Then Kakashi looked up from his orange book and smiled at her approvingly.

She smiled back and returned her attention to the others. "So? I believe we have business to discuss, Asana-san. We should get to that immediately, if you're able," she advised calmly.

The old woman quirked a brow, but nodded. "You are correct," she agreed. "Please take a seat and we will get started."

Ino smiled brightly. "Wonderful."

xXx

From the hospital break room, Gaara moved on back to the Kazekage Dome, to check on the Seal User. He was bemused to find the man with a pleased smile on his face while Baki and Kotetsu shook their heads at whatever it was he'd said.

Gaara was apparently not going to find out, though, because the four in the room turned toward him as he arrived in a swirl of sand that miraculously didn't get all over the place. The man that had gone to meet the Seal User bowed, smiling faintly. "Gaara-sama," the Suna ANBU captain greeted.

Giving the white-blond haired male a once over, the Kazekage returned the nod. "Santi," he murmured.

The older male turned back toward his guests. "If you would excuse me, Sai-san. I must speak with Gaara-sama for a moment."

"Of course," Sai agreed, smile still in place. "We have plenty of time."

The two stepped from the room, closing the door behind them, and started down the hall before Gaara spoke again. "I need your opinion on a poisons master. Who would be best suited to teach in Konoha?"

Santi gave him a startled look. "Teach?" he echoed, sun-bleached brows lifting. "I... well, perhaps the most suited to _teaching _would be Kankuro-sama... but I assume you wish to keep him based in Suna."

"You are correct," Gaara replied flatly, and stopped, turning toward the other male. "Someone else will go."

"Then I would suggest Matsumoto Takeo," Santi decided. "He will do."

The redhead thought of the sometimes excitable youth. The boy loved teaching, it was true, and hopefully with Kumo there, he would behave himself. Kumo had that effect on people. He could also send Temari along as the team captain. "Alright. Thank you," he said finally. "Good luck."

Santi bowed, and when he straightened, Gaara was vanishing behind a wall of sand. He smiled faintly before returning to the others. "So, where were we? Pigs, wasn't it?" He grinned at the fascinating Konoha lad.

xXx

**Ridiculously long author's note- GO!**

**Still with me? Good! I'm glad. Sorry there wasn't any Sakura in this chapter. I'll make up for it next chapter, and you all know it. I love ItaSak far too much not to. Also, just fyi, I have NO IDEA WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT when it comes to medical techniques. I usually bullshit my way through that kind of thing with the occasional manual or details straight from Naruto.**

**So, that in mind, I'd like some feedback on this! Not just about the medical stuff, but about all of it! What do you guys **_**think**_**? Do you like it? Do you have suggestions? Comments? Questions? Please review!**

**I also wanna know if anyone out there knows ANYTHING about the desert. Not just the people, but the kinds of creatures and what-not. I COULD look it up, yeah, but... I prefer picking peoples brains. I learn better that way.**

**In other news, do I have any artists as readers? I'm looking for someone to draw me cover art for this story! If any of you are decent artists, or know one that would do it for free (because I'm a cheapo that way), please PM me! Or at least consider it. I'm willing to pay with a 10k word one-shot of any pairing! Any fandom, even, provided I'm comfortably familiar with it.**

**A few notes of content:**  
**1) Yes, I have had prickly pears before. … it's been a while, though, which is why I didn't go into a lot of detail.**  
**2) I have NO idea what the pastry Ino was eating is called. I've had it **_**once**_**, I think, and I found a picture of it by chance, with a list of ingredients but no name. Sorry. If anyone knows what it's called, lemme know?**

**3) OCs: in case you didn't peg them, they are Kami, Asana, Santi, Kumo and Takeo. You will ****learn more about them later on, I promise, especially Kumo and Takeo. Please don't let their presences scare you off! I haven't failed you guys yet, ne? Keep reading! This story is my baby.**

**That's it for now.**


	5. Apples in the Desert

**Principle of Nature  
Chapter 5  
Apples in the Desert**

xXx

_My Friend Gaara,  
What. The. Hell. A BUNNY?! WHAT IS THAT?! WHAT. IS. THAT! Whaaaattt!? This isn't FAIR! It's not! You gave me a fucking DEAD RABBIT, you goddamn PSYCHOPATH. It's not even a kinda weird but really harmless stuffed rabbit! IT'S A FUCKING CORPSE._

_There is something seriously wrong with you, man. Seriously._

_Fucking give me something NICE, you goddamn bastard,_  
_Naruto._

_P.S: You are fucking sick._

A secretary paused outside the door to the Kazekage's office, scared stiff. Inside, she could hear the very soft, very sinister sound of half-crazed laughter. Turning around, she fled for her life.

No one would bother the man with anything less than a full-scale emergency for the next few days.

xXx

"Naruto, why do you have a dead rabbit on your door?" Sakura asked, frowning at her friend.

The blond blinked up at her, somehow managing to look slightly innocent. "It's a present from Gaara. He thought giving me a bunny corpse was funny. You know, I'm kinda seeing the hilarity now."

The kunoichi twitched. "Is this just to keep Izumo out?" she demanded flatly.

"That is a pleasant side effect, yeah," Naruto replied, smiling widely. "Did you need something?"

Frowning at him, she held out a packet of paper. "I understand Suna will be sending some nin to teach us techniques. You need to fill out that," she gestured to the packet, then pulled out a handful more from the satchel she carried, "And have them fill out these. One each. Then you need to copy them, and keep the copies in your records. You can send them to come to me at the hospital. Also, I got a letter from Shizune: they need more money. Tsunade lost it all."

The blond was sagging in his seat by the time she finished speaking. He wilted under her smile. "This is karma, isn't it?"

She shrugged. "Izumo may have said it was alright to make you suffer. Anyway, get that all finished, and when my fiance gets back from his mission, tell him he needs to track me down."

Naruto heaved a sigh, but memorized the instructions like a good little Kage. "Anything else, Mistress?"

Izumo, out in his office, smiled at the unpleasant sounds of a beating; aaah, life was good.

xXx

Sakura sighed as she stepped out of Surgery, giving the kunoichi with her a tired smile. "Disaster averted," she joked.

Mitsu snorted. "For now. Just wait till he gets into the beer again... oh, snap." She nodded ahead of them.

The pinkette followed her gaze, catching sight of her fiance, and sighed. "It's about time for me to take a break anyway. I'll see you in a bit, okay?"

The ginger woman nodded and left, leaving Sakura to her own fate. So the head mednin of the hospital hiked up her chin and walked right past him. Predictably, he followed. "He said you wanted me to find you."

"I know," she replied, and paused a beat before sighing. "Let's get to the break room. You can ward it."

"Okay."

And that was it between them until the door of the break room was shut and locked, with a mild jutsu sealing the room against eavesdroppers and spies. Only then did Itachi drop his expressionless mask and frown at her. "He also mentioned that the... ah, 'stalking' has to go. I refuse."

Emerald eyes narrowed. "Try again," she snapped, crossing her arms. "I will _not _put up with you haunting my steps, Itachi."

"I am merely concerned for your safety," he replied, just as stubborn.

She scoffed. "That's bullshit and you know it. You're freaking out because I'm _pregnant_ and now the daddy paranoia has set in. And you know what? I am _not_ going to be hurt. You prevented me from going on missions, you have basically had me put on village arrest, _and _you stalk me for kicks? Drop one of them, Itachi, or I swear to god I'll move in with my parents."

He glared back at her for a long moment, but of course it was Sakura, so she didn't back down. "And what about the child?"

"What about it? It's not part of the equation right now, Itachi," the kunoichi growled. "Right now, it is me and it is you and it is _you _getting into my personal space to the point that I am uncomfortable. I am neither a child nor defenseless and you are being completely unreasonable."

"I am not," he retorted, voice getting softer as it did when he was angry. "You're going to get hormonal and careless just because you're in the village. I can't allow you to come to harm."

Sakura snarled. "_Hormonal_?! Are you saying because I'm a _pregnant lady_ it's _okay_?"

Itachi exhaled sharply, trying to dispel the mounting frustration. "That's not what I said, Sakura-"

"No, you didn't _have _to say it, dammit. I can read between the lines," she retorted, uncrossing her arms to clench her fists at her sides. "If you think it's okay just because I'm a woman, and hormonal, and pregnant, you have another fucking thing coming!"

"Sakura, you are not _listening_ to me," he growled. "That isn't what I'm saying and it's not what I think. I _think_ you are Haruno Sakura, fianced of Uchiha Itachi, and pregnant _with_ an Uchiha. I _think _plenty other villages will want to snatch you away just because of that."

Her mouth pulled into a frown. "And you think I can't handle that?"

The Uchiha drew a breath, inwardly relieved that her voice had at least lowered. "I think you can. To a point. But not even you, as powerful as you are, can withstand everything. Being outnumbered, or poisoned, or jutsu like the kagemane... You are not infallible. I am not infallible. Together we are close enough."

Sakura fell silent for a long moment, abruptly realizing she'd been acting a bit ridiculous too. "Can you please stop the stalking?" she muttered, and when he frowned, she waved him silent. "I mean... just... walk with me. And no watching while I'm in surgery, or with a patient. You can be close, but don't crowd me, Itachi. Deal?"

He considered it only long enough to give her a once over. "Very well. Deal."

His beautiful, vicious kunoichi relaxed, feeling a bit tired suddenly. "Just as well. I fucking hate fighting with you."

A single brow slid upward. "I was of the opinion that you did _not _hate it so much."

She stuck her tongue out at him and stepped over, grinning when he tensed. "Relax. I'm not going to hit you." And she hugged him instead, pleased when he immediately wrapped his arms around her middle. "This is a better use of my time anyway."

"I concur." She swatted his arm and he smiled, resting his cheek on the crown of her head. "Is it too premature to ask for dinner? I'll cook."

She grinned against his collarbone. "Sounds wonderful. I'll con someone into giving me desert."

He chuckled. "My life is complete."

xXx

When Sakura returned home one night later that week, there was a familiar ink-like bird sitting on the swing on the porch. She took the scroll from it, smiling at the seal. Ino had finally written. Eagerly, she slipped into the house - it was empty - and made a pot of tea before sitting down to read.

_Dear Sakura.  
He smiled at me. Gaara. Smiled. At. Me. I almost died. Holy shit. He SMILES. … it was ridiculously pretty. Who has a pretty smile? Gaara. … I am so incredibly fucked. Except I'm NOT, which is the problem. OMG._

The rosette kunoichi had to pause for a grimace. T.M.I wasn't in Ino's vocabulary, apparently. "Ah well, can't have everything."

_Also, Kankuro is a total pervert,-_

"This is news?"

_-and I'm pretty sure he has a shrine to you in his room._

Sakura blinked. And then blinked. "Say what?"

_Locked door. Would NOT let me see inside. Absolutely refused. Why do I think it's you? He keeps asking how you're doing. Well, and Naruto, but I think they have some convoluted boy-love thing going on over there. I don't EVEN want to contemplate it. Ew._

A giggle escaped her throat before Sakura could stop it.

_Anyway. So Sai is doing alright too. Of course. And he's still a pervert. Of course. And he has a fucking POSTER of Temari. Of- wait. A poster. No lie. Of Temari. He likes her boobs. How can I tell? She wasn't wearing a shirt in the poster. And I know all of this because I walked into his room to find him painting it. Sai saw Temari naked. I seriously hope she finds out, because I want to be there to watch her crush him. Seriously. That would make my week._

"Oh dear."

_Kotetsu says hi, and also says to make sure Naruto isn't driving Izumo insane. Apparently they have some sort of turf war going on._

"That obvious?" Sakura snickered.

_Kakashi has declined comment, but I think that's because he's all Super Nin. But you know he'd send his hellos if it was in his personality to do so. Can I recharacterize him? I think he'd be cute with bunny ears. Not that he isn't drop dead gorgeous anyway. Good god, no wonder Anko stalks him._

"Ewwwww."

_Also, did I mention that Gaara smiled at me?_

"Yes, Ino, and you know you did."

_He smiled at me. I think I fell a bit in love right then. No lie. It was so preeeetttyyyyy. OMG. So you're probably wondering why. I'll tell you, and don't roll your eyes._

Sakura, who had indeed been about to do so, blinked. Ino knew her too well.

_So I went up to the Kazekage dome with the list of approved techniques, because I was going to ask him if I was allowed to consult with Shizune-shisho about one of them. I'm not entirely familiar with it, you know? Never had to use it, though I have gone over the theory. Anyway, so I was let in, and we talked about that for a bit before I realized he had a kunai sitting right on his desk._

_Not really an issue. I mean, he's a ninja. A leader of ninja. Normally, I wouldn't think twice about it. Except it had a bow around the handle, and was a thing of complete sharp-and-pointy beauty. Fucking ornamental shit. This thing is MEANT to sit on a shelf and look pretty. And it had 'Hokage Uzumaki' engraved in it._

Sakura's brows hiked up in surprise. "For Naruto?"

_Yep. For Naruto._

"Ino, that's creepy. Stop it."

_Sorry. Anyway. I asked him about it. He said it's Naruto's birthday present. I asked why an ornamental kunai. He told me it's a message between them. Wouldn't elaborate. But whatever. Let them have their boy secrets. I jokingly asked if he was going to tag it.  
__  
He SMILED. And then told me that no- he wouldn't want to waste the kunai. Aiieeee! He's so fucking hot! And kind of sweet. In that holy-shit-he-could-flatten-me kinda way. Actually, that's not such a bad idea..._

_I need to get laid._

_Love, your best friend in the WORLD (or else!),_  
_Ino_

Sakura was smiling as she read over it again. Ino was so insanely bubbly. Not only that, she seemed _happier_. Not because of Gaara, or anyone else. It was the change of everything. The chance to just forget about her troubles for a while, with a team of people that were completely neutral to her standpoint in life.

It was nice to see her best friend enjoying things again.

xXx

"... and then, of course, he took the damn thing and dumped it over the cliff. Choji was all 'what did you do _that _for?'" Ino grinned slightly as she finished up the paperwork. "You know what he said?"

The secretary - the same man she'd flirted with that first day - smiled and accepted the packet. "No. What?"

She giggled. "'It was too troublesome not to'. I love Shikamaru to death, he's like my brother, but I swear, _sometimes_... Hee!"

He chuckled. "You ninja have some interesting stories," he teased.

The blonde waved him off. "Oh you should _hear _about the first time my best friend got really upset with her fiancé." Blue eyes flickered toward the clock, and she pouted. "Uuuunnfortunately, I don't have the time. I have a meeting with my teammates shortly. Did you need anything else for the files, Aoi-san?"

Glancing over the packet briefly, Aoi Yanzo shook his head. "Nope. Looks like I have everything. I'll see you later, Yamanaka-san."

She beamed, waved and left. Ten minutes later found her slipping into the lounge of her suite. Inside, Kotetsu and Sai were muttering amongst themselves while Kakashi apparently dozed on a futon to the side.

On the table in the corner, there was of course a tray of food, waiting for someone to eat it. Ino wasn't going to protest the invitation, and went over to pick up what looked like crackers with sesame seeds on them. There was a clove of still-steaming garlic, and a bowl of roasted black olives, and a plate with some sort of creamy stuff that looked a bit like cheese spread.

Experimentally, she spread some of the cheese over a cracker and nibbled on it, smiling. "That's kind of delicious," she said, delighted.

Kotetsu gave her an amused look. "Yes," he answered. "Are you ready to begin?"

She nodded, beaming. Sai cleared his throat.

"My efforts with Santi-san are going well. He's the man Baki-san introduced me to. He's been learning what I have to teach him. He's a good student. Patient and thorough. We have managed to establish a pattern of sorts, which is handy since I've never done anything like this before. He has plenty of scrolls on hand for notes, and I've been able to teach him how to special seal them, keyed only to his or my chakra.

"As for my relations with others, I of course have a cordial acquaintance with Baki-san, as a result of him being our escort for our stay. The Kazekage checks on our progress in person occasionally, but he usually sends Kankuro-san to do so in his stead. I suspect he keeps his own records on the matter, so should he ask a direct question concerning our purpose here, consider answering completely and truthfully."

The former Root-nin pulled out a scroll, fed his chakra into it and released the seal. "My other associations include passing acquaintance with the kunoichi Temari - whom, as you all know, left on a team for Konoha yesterday evening - and Kami-san. I am vaguely more familiar with Kankuro-san, though as always he keeps to himself and doesn't waste time conversing with me or Kotetsu-taicho outside of official business."

Ino blinked at that. "Really?" she blurted, drawing his gaze, and three sets of raised brows. "He talks to me all the time."

Kakashi nodded. "He has asked me after Sakura and Naruto," he added. "But nothing beyond that."

The kunoichi nodded quickly in agreement. "Me too. But sometimes we- eh, talk. He's incredibly nosy, actually..."

Kakashi and Kotetsu exchanged a look, before the latter cleared his throat. "In what way?" he asked, feigning idle curiosity.

"Hm?" She blinked at him, then frowned. She wasn't fooled, but since it was a request from her taicho, she answered anyway. "Harmless stuff, really. Flirtsy stuff. Favorite color, favorite novel, hobbies. It's just harmless flirting."

Her taicho _seemed_ to accept her opinion on it, and nodded Sai on. The ANBU gave her a once-over (_Is he __**concerned**__? That's new! _she thought, surprised) before tapping the scroll. "As I was saying. I have noted a few people to avoid if possible, due to their disapproval of this exchange and their hostility toward myself and Kotetsu-taicho. The rest are at least neutral on the matter, or loyal to the Kazekage and his wishes."

Kakashi reached out and shifted the scroll around to get a better look at it. He tapped a name. "This one's been openly hostile? Can you describe him to us?"

"I can do better." Sai pulled out another scroll and some ink, hand flicking through a sketch.

The man he drew was kind of stocky, with a bandage wrapped around his head and bits of hair sticking out. There was a pronounced scar along one cheek, ending behind the bandage, which wrapped over what appeared to be a stub of an ear. He wore loose pants ending at his shins and a tight, sleeveless tunic type shirt that split at the hips into a back and front portion hanging to about mid-thigh. His sandals were standard ninja issue.

"I don't know much about him, other than he's known as Saru and appears to be some sort of Puppeteer. When I consulted Kankuro-san on the matter, he would only say that Saru is one of a few that do not like the thought of giving away their puppetry secrets," Sai reported.

Ino wrinkled her nose in distaste. "He's ugly," she decided uncharitably, and jerked away when Kakashi flicked her ear. "Oy!"

"Be polite," he chided, eye crinkling in his usual smile.

She just stuck her tongue out at him, and Kotetsu quickly intervened before they could get anymore childish. "Alright. I have nothing to contribute to his report, other than that I've spoken with the Kazekage a few times over minor snags - mostly Sai's inability to socialize properly," he gave the ANBU man a stern look, "But that's it. Ino, your report?"

She set aside her empty plate and took a moment to dust her hands off and organize her thoughts. "Was a bit rocky at first. Asana-san, the hospital director and head med-nin, is very suspicious of younger people. I had to prove myself several times over before she even bothered to start listening to what I was saying. After I helped during an emergency cesarean, though, she's warmed up a bit.

"I've managed to convince her to adjust her practice with sutures. It's a bit outdated, and my way is more efficient. I am so glad I'm the mednin and not Sai, because no offense, but you do _not _have enough social practice to deal with this lady." She rolled her eyes. "Nag nag nag, she nags all the time! Reminds me of a grumpier version of Tsunade-sama, if that's even possible." She waved a hand dismissively.

"Anyway. So as I said, I've talked with Kankuro-kun a bit, and Kazekage-sama a few times. He checks on us as well." She considered that, head cocking slightly. "He's actually a surprisingly pleasant conversationalist, once you get past the whole 'grr I'm the leader of the Hidden Sand' thing. And he's super sweet on Hokage-sama, which is just _absolutely _adorable."

Kotetsu coughed. "Ino-chan... As fascinating as that is, that's not the point of this meeting..."

"Oh! Right, sorry," she said, fighting the urge to blush. _Oh crap! I went on a tangent about him!_ "Uhm, where was I? Right, right. Have also talked with Aoi-san at the reception desk a bit. He's very nice. The only issues I've had so far are with Kamane-san in the crisis ward. She is _not _receptive at all to my presence. Doesn't show the capability of physical violence thus far, and she's only a civilian as far as I know, but she's unpleasant to deal with.

"Also have dealt with Kami-san. He's a bit of an introvert, but he seems more curious about our presence than upset with it." She paused, considering. "I found out he's a puppeteer. Journeyman, I believe. I didn't even know they _had _ranks." She rolled her eyes.

"All things considered, it's been pretty smooth sailing. Mostly everyone is super nice, and they make sure I'm comfortable. The Kazekage has even seen that I'm allowed an office during my stay so I can keep things more organized. He's really a sweety." She grinned fondly.

She didn't notice Kakashi and Kotetsu exchange another look, or Sai give her an assessing glance. Kakashi straightened. "As for my report... Asana-san seems to have taken a bit of a shine to Ino-chan. She treats her with deference that she does not use with anyone else besides the Kazekage and perhaps his siblings. We are still being watched by the Suna ANBU, but they have not been overtly or covertly hostile, and they remain in the background for the most part. They only appeared once when Ino-san got lost, and told me where she was so I could find her."

Kotetsu gave the blonde a stern look, and she had the grace to blush. She'd forgotten to add that. No, she'd been hoping it wasn't relevant. "Is that all?"

"Yes, that's all of my report," Kakashi agreed calmly.

"Very well. Let's finish eating and resume our duties," Kotetsu said. "Sai-san I hope you can return to Baki-san alone for now? I need to send a written report to Hokage-sama."

Sai nodded. "Yes, I can do so." He rose. "In fact, I am going to return now." He picked up his supplies and put away the tools before handing the scrolls to Kotetsu for further perusal. "Please return the graph tonight, but feel free to add any observations of your own to it."

"Ah, may I see it when he's done, in that case?" Kakashi asked, and got a simple nod in response. "Very well. Thank you."

Ino hurried after Sai. "Hey! I'm gonna walk you back," she said. She wanted to ask him something. "I'll see you later, Kakashi-san!"

Kakashi waved her off. "I'll catch up in about an hour."

The two left, and Kotetsu sighed. "She seems to have transferred her attention from Kiba to the Kazekage," he muttered despondently.

Surprisingly, the Copy-Nin shook his head. "No. She's been interested in Gaara-sama for a long time. It's not new."

"She has?" Kotetsu's brows hiked up in surprise. He hadn't known that.

A nod was the answer. "I had noted it during Naruto-sama's chunin exam period, and Sakura-chan has mentioned it as well." He hummed thoughtfully, rubbing his thumb over a cloth-covered chin. Then he hooked his finger over the edge and tugged the mask down, reaching out for an imported apple. "At any rate, she seems to be keeping herself in check. However, Kankuro-san's inquiries as to her person are somewhat worrisome."

Kotetsu hummed noncommittally, grabbing a plate with some sort of flaky bread. "I'll make a note in my report to Hokage-sama. In the meantime, we'll just keep an eye on her and both Sand brothers."

"Noted." Kakashi bit into the apple, and blinked. "How is it _this _fresh?"

xXx

**Another long A/N... sorry. ^^;**

**That last scene was twice as long as I thought it'd be... Lol. Anyway hope you enjoyed!**

**I would like to note- YAY, finally some ACTUAL Gaa-Ino tinges about! Sorry it's taken so long to get to it, but I'm still setting things up. ^^; Please be patient about that. Have a bit of faith, I DO know what I'm doing- mostly.**

**Anyway, with this, things on the GaaIno front should pick up. I will also be paying more attention to the HinaNaru side of things, and as always am semi-focused on ItaSak... But PLEASE, if you're here for JUST the pairings, don't hassle me about it. I don't like writing pointless romance. It makes me grimace. I WILL get to it, but I'm going to take my time and at least put reasoning in for it. I'm not convinced that relationships without stepping stones will last, so I'm going to give them stepping stones.**

**And crap, I'm rambling again. Arg. Well, next chapter, we'll finally get some GaaIno one-on-one (though it's very brief), but also prancing around is Kankuro! So you'll get some of him.**

**Reviews are appreciated! Please and thank you. ^^**


	6. The Past The Present & Impractical Jokes

**Principle of Nature  
Chapter 6  
The Past, the Present, and Impractical Jokes**

xXx

_Naruto,_

_Did you at least make stew of it? I heard rabbit stew is alright, if you make it with the right seasonings. I hope you at least did something useful with that rabbit. I went to a lot of trouble sending someone to hunt one down. And the Desert Jack Rabbit is the closest thing we have to a national animal. Well, besides Sand Beasts, but those aren't nearly as cuddly. Or edible._

_It was a kingly gift, you should be grateful._

_In other news, you didn't mention how charismatic your kunoichi is. My head medic would be in love with her if she was male. And this is saying something, since Asana tends to terrify all of the hospital staff. In fact, Asana-san's very similar to Sakura, except she can't ground one's bones into dust._

_… can Yamanaka do that? Should I be wary of her temper? I'm not sure what to think of your Leaf kunoichi. Every time I meet a new one (or at least am put into a position where we are in frequent contact), she ends up surprising me._

_Anyway, I'll end this letter now. I have to get some of this ridiculous stack of paperwork done... Your kunoichi is creating far too much for me. So is that Sai too (also, if he tries to paint one more picture of my sister naked, I will kill him)._

_-Gaara_

_P.S. My team of nin is on its way._

Naruto blinked, eying the letter closely. It _looked_ like Gaara's handwriting. He sniffed it. It _smelled_ like Gaara (and a messenger hawk). _But since when does Gaara ramble?_

xXx

Shikamaru stifled a yawn as he, Sakura, Genma and Itachi waited at the gates for the approaching Suna team that he couldn't see yet. To his left, the couple was having a soft, quick-spoken argument over whether or not Sakura should have forced Naruto to make Itachi take this mission. To his right, Genma was chewing on a toothpick with his hands in his pockets, looking as bored with life as Shikamaru himself was.

The shadow-user stifled a sigh and looked ahead, finally catching sight of his friend and sometimes-penpal as she and her team appeared through the forest. Itachi and Sakura fell silent, and the guards - a couple chunin - looked up curiously. Shikamaru shifted his gaze from the blonde walking in front of her team, to the woman on her left.

Tall, darkly tanned skin, long black hair tied into a braid that hung down her back and moved as she walked. Her eyes were dark, probably either brown or some variation of, Shikamaru couldn't tell at this distance.

On her back was a single scroll, similar to Kankuro's scroll he'd seen, strapped vertically in place. She wore black shorts, showing off shapely, mesh-wrapped legs, and a dark crimson halter top, with bandages wrapped all the way down one arm.

It was all very normal for a nin. Her mouth was painted a rich red some shades lighter than her top, and there were two tight spirals on either cheekbone in the same color. As she drew nearer, Shikamaru also noted what appeared to be a purple web tattoo'd onto her throat.

Beside her walked a tall youth with choppy brown hair and a pair of black, simple shades over surprisingly light skin for someone from the desert. He wore a Suna-issued Jonin vest over a white tank-top with equally colorless mesh sleeves sewn into it. Standard tan shorts, leaving his lower legs bare, and nin sandals.

The last member of the party was an annoyed looking older man with a shock of close-cropped white hair and incredibly dark skin. His clothing was all a light brown; shorts and a sleeveless shirt left open to reveal a scar-torn, hairy chest.

Temari offered the Nara a bright smile as they drew to a stop before the Konoha welcoming Committee. "Hiya, Shikamaru," she greeted, looking relieved to finally be here.

He waved, effecting a bored expression. "Ossu."

The woman turned to draw his and the other escorts' attention toward her teammates. "This is Meza," she gestured toward the older man, who just stared at them. She apparently took this behavior in stride because she continued on with barely a pause. "Kumo."

The other female winked flirtatiously at Shikamaru, before her gaze flickered over the other escorts. "Greetings, Konoha Nin-san," she purred, accent thick and voice deep.

Temari rolled her eyes and waved off-handedly at the youngest of the group. The boy couldn't be more than eighteen. "And that's-"

"Hello, hello, I'm Matsumoto Takeo, nice to meet you! You must be Shikamaru!" the boy interrupted (Temari, while annoyed, didn't seem surprised). "I have heard all about what a wonderful person you are! It's a pleasure to finally meet you! Thank you for having us!"

The other woman - Kumo - reached out and put her palm over his mouth. "Shush," she chided, amused.

Genma snorted. "Nice to meet you too, Matsumoto-san. I'm Shiranui Genma, and I'll be your escort."

The youth focused his attention on the brown-haired Jonin, bright tawny eyes flickering over him before he beamed. Meanwhile, Kumo dropped her hand, revealing his expression of delight. "Nice to meet you, Shiranui-sempai!" the youth chirped.

Sakura bowed slightly to Kumo. "And I am Haruno Sakura, Kumo-san. I will be your escort."

"It's a pleasure, Haruno-dono," Kumo murmured, offering the other kunoichi a smile.

Itachi spoke up then. "I am Uchiha Itachi. I am to escort you, Meza-san. I hope we get along." It was impossible to tell if he actually cared or not, though, and Meza offered no response but a nod.

Temari cleared her throat. "Alright, then. I suppose we're to debrief with the Hokage?"

Shikamaru nodded. "Yeah. This way. We've got them from here, Inuzuka."

"Alright," Taji murmured from his spot at the guard booth.

xXx

"Kankuro-kuuuun! Kankuro-kun!"

The Puppeteer paused and turned, blinking as he caught sight of a familiar energetic female. His gaze flickered over her, and he was amused to note she was getting a bit of a tan. "Ino-chan," he said in response as she stopped before him. He quirked a grin, letting his face light up. "Nice to see you! Where's Kami-chan?"

"Eh?" She blinked and glanced automatically over her shoulder, then grinned. "Guess I lost him." But at his look, she giggled. "Okay, I did it on purpose. Actually, I was looking for you."

His expression didn't change, though inwardly he was suspicious. "Oh? What did you need?"

Offering a smile, she shifted her stance, deliberately making herself seem less threatening. He wasn't fooled, but it was interesting to note that she seemed to have done so unconsciously. "Um, well, are you busy?"

Kankuro didn't glance toward the path he'd been about to go down; no need to let her know where he'd been going. "Depends on what you want," he replied. At some point before midnight, he needed to stop by the Play House and speak with *Shedo no Ooka. But that was his only set obligation for the day.

Before him, Ino's smile softened, and Kakuro had to resist the urge to be impressed. The girl had manipulation down to _habit_. "Well, actually... I was wondering if you would be able to show me around the food district. Aoi-san was mentioning that there are some delightful restaurants, and I'm curious about the local stuff. It's all so different than Konoha food."

Though he didn't know what he'd been expecting, _that_ was definitely not it. "Oh... uh..." His brow furrowed slightly. She must have either arranged to have a few hours off, or been given it. He had noticed that she'd been very hard at work since she arrived a week or so ago. Far more so than her fellows.

He contemplated asking 'why not Aoi', since she'd been talking to him about it anyway, but realized Aoi's wife would likely get upset. Gaara was out of the question for obvious reasons. Kami wasn't exactly Mr. Social. Baki had duties outside of his mission as escort. Temari was gone. Ino didn't know Santi, and the other people from the hospital were probably either at work or busy with their own lives...

He suppressed a sigh, realizing that he was probably the only one she knew with a loose enough schedule to go with her at such short notice. "Sure. I'll show you around," he agreed finally, grinning. "Could be good. Sexy lady on my arm..."

Ino's surprised face was nothing less than hilarious at that, before she laughed. "Oh please. You probably have a different sexy lady on your arm every other night," she teased. "Show the way?"

Nodding, he adopted a thoughtful expression as he redirected himself away from the alley to his right. "Hmmm... That's a valid point. But you know, with you, I can claim to have been on a date with an exotic foreigner."

Her laughter really was uncomfortably disarming. No wonder his brother preferred dealing with her most out of the Konoha team.

xXx

Naruto was being very suspicious, Shikamaru noticed as they filed out of the Hokage's office. He had practically been speeding them through that damn meeting, and it was kicking up worrisome flags for the Nara.

However, all concern evaporated when he realized who was waiting outside to do her mission report. The Nara groaned inwardly as his charge detoured. "Hinata-san!"

The Hyuuga girl blinked and gave the blonde kunoichi a timid smile. "Hello, Temari-san."

Temari waved off the rest of her team. "I'll catch up."

Kumo nodded and nudged Takeo along ahead of her, and Meza followed silently behind. They all appeared to be ignoring their escorts for the most part.

"How have you been?" Temari was asking the girl before her.

Shifting her weight, Hinata shrugged slightly. "Um... Okay. Busy, mostly... N-Naruto-sama is quite busy too, and I help him when I can..." She glanced toward the Hokage's office, clearly just as eager to see her betrothed as he was to see her.

Temari noticed, and grinned. "Alright. I'll let you get going. We'll visit later, okay?"

Nodding, Hinata offered a brief bow and hurried into the Hokage's office. The door shut behind her, and Temari snorted. "They're cute," she said thoughtfully. "Wish my brother had a girl like that."

The Nara just offered a lazy shrug as they wandered down the hall towards the elevator. "Doesn't he have that... Chunin girl?"

_Blink, blink._ "Matsuri?" Temari asked, surprised, and snorted. "Hell no. Where the heck did you get that idea? Gaara has never been interested in her; she's too much like family."

He gave her a flat look, and she just smirked back at him. "You're so troublesome."

"Pfft. Would you deal with me otherwise?"

"I'd be worried for my safety if you weren't," he corrected mildly.

Temari leered, Shikamaru blinked, and the elevator dinged open.

xXx

Kankuro was a bit annoyed. Ino talked. And talked. And _talked_... About everything and, shockingly, nothing at all. He had long since noticed that while her gossip was full of information, most of it was basically useless to a nin. It was all so _domestic_.

_And oh my fucking god, just shut up!_ he thought unhappily as she suddenly shifted topic. To his disbelief, her mouth clicked closed. "Uh... um, Kankuro...? Is that..."

He followed her gaze, brows sweeping up. "Yep," he replied as they picked up their pace. "Shush. He's probably taking a break."

"Kay," she breathed, and shut up. A timid smile that he'd never noticed before spread across her face.

_Fucking fangirls_. "Yo," he greeted about ten feet away.

Gaara didn't so much as flinch in surprise, despite the fact that Kankuro had been suppressing his chakra. He did turn his head though, and nodded to them. "Kankuro. Ino-san."

Ino smiled brightly back at him, prompting a smile from the redhead. "Hello, Gaara-sama."

Inwardly twitching, Kankuro watched as his brother gestured for them to take seats across from him. Green eyes lifted away from the kunoichi and the Kazekage, glancing at the outdoor cafe's sign. Maaki's Grill. Kankuro had been here before, and it was alright.

He sat down beside Ino, across from the empty seat next to his brother, and suppressed a sigh. _Sakura's so much easier to tolerate. Why couldn't __**she**__ have come?_

"-take your order?"

The puppet user looked up, and blinked. "Glass of water and some yakitori," he supplied.

The waitress smiled politely and directed her gaze to Ino. "And you?" The smile slipped some, curiously enough.

"Um... Tea? And... can I have a look at a menu and decide what to eat in a bit?" the blonde asked, shifting her position slightly. Her tone was polite, impartial and kind.

"Sure," the waitress replied, stepping over and snagging a menu from a nearby table. She glanced it over and handed it off to Ino. "I'll be back with your orders."

She left, and Kankuro glanced at Gaara. The Kazekage was already holding a cup of chilled juice, nursing it and eying Ino thoughtfully. Ino at first glance didn't seem to be aware of it, but after a moment, Kankuro realized she was quite focused on the menu for a reason.

_Are you kidding me?_ He gave a mental shake of his head and looked at his brother again. "So. Break?"

The redhead nodded, looking down at his juice as if he hadn't been staring at the blonde with no subtlety at all. "Yeah. Baki suggested it was about time I take a breather. It's been busy lately."

"Mm." _Baki suggested, did he?_

Then Kankuro reconsidered, and glanced surreptitiously at the girl beside him. Yamanaka Ino. Charismatic, sweet, honestly thoughtful. She had talents with politics, and knew when to defer to someone else or not. She also possessed a well-honed sense of tact, as evidenced by her more public dealings with her teammate Sai.

If nothing else, she could keep Gaara's focus on herself, which would allow Kankuro to move a _bit_ more freely with his own plans. Even if the two of them didn't end up _together_...

Well, it was a haphazard plan at best, but it had _some_ merit.

With that thought, Kankuro swallowed a smirk and got up. "Actually, I had somewhere I needed to be soon," he fibbed. "I'm gonna get that yakitori to go, eh? And since you had some time off, Gaara..." He smiled innocently. "How about you finish helping her sample dishes."

Ino was giving him a wide-eyed, faintly panicky look, which only served to amuse him further. He quickly hurried off before either of them could protest. And, as luck would have it, the waitress was just gathering together their dishes.

In his wake, the two at the table blinked at each other, before Gaara cleared his throat. He couldn't help but wonder just what his conniving brother was up to. "I hope you don't mind," he offered finally, not sure what else to say. He could spend a couple extra hours out. Baki probably wouldn't mind.

Shaking her head slowly, the blonde appeared to be fighting against some sort of emotion, and settled at last on a small smile. "No, of course not, Gaara-sama. Um... but, if you have to get back soon, I can put the rest of it off until another time..."

"No, it's fine," he reassured her. "Baki will probably rejoice. He's been calling me a work-a-holic behind my back recently."

That prompted a giggle from her. "It's not very 'behind your back' if you know about it, is it?"

The corner of his mouth twitched up into a smile. "No, I suppose not. So, what have you decided on?" He nodded toward her menu.

Blue eyes lowered to the pamphlet that she honestly hadn't read yet. "Um... I can't decide. Any suggestions?"

"Grilled chicken."

She grinned, relaxing at the prompt response. He smiled back. This wasn't going to be so bad at all.

xXx

"Sometimes, I wonder if you aren't being a narcissist with how much you stare up at that," Yamato drawled, finding his Kage once again perched in a hidden spot, gaze fixed on the monument. But he knew that Naruto came here to look at his familial predecessor, and not himself.

In front of him, Naruto chuckled. "Does seem that way, doesn't it? Actually..." He climbed to his feet, and turned to look at his former team leader. "You knew Yondaime-sama, didn't you?"

Blinking, Yamato shrugged, wondering what was going on in the blond's head. "Erm, sort of? Not well," he replied, baffled. "I didn't deal with him personally- that's more Kakashi's area. _He_ was Yondaime-sama's student."

"Yeah, but he's in Suna," Naruto replied, and sighed heavily. "I just... wish I could have met him, you know? My mother too. I wish I could have known them both."

Yamato's gaze softened as he watched the blond turn back to look at the monument. "He was an honorable man," he murmured. "And, though I never met her for more than minutes at any time, Kushina-sama was said to have had... _quite_ the fiery temper, but she was honorable as well."

Beaming at him, Naruto gave a nod. "I knew it!" he declared cheerfully. "They're my parents!"

With that, the Hokage vanished, and Yamato's gaze shifted to the stone carvings. _If only I had more to give him..._

xXx

**This is very short, I know. But I'm stuck on how to continue, and this chapter has been sitting as it is for several months. So I figured it was time to just post it, and hope that can tide you peeps over until I manage to write more.**

**Thank you for reading, please review!**

**Translation Notes:**

***Shedo no Ooka: Ooka of the Shade (roughly)**


End file.
